CAMPUS COMMUNITY 

Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS), founded in 1995, brings together over forty faculty across fields including Africana Studies, Art, History, Ecology & Evolution, Hispanic Languages & Literature, Political Science, Journalism, Sociology, Theater Arts, and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies. The center serves as a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration, connecting students, faculty, and community partners across campus and beyond.

LACS supports an active campus community through academic, cultural, and public-facing programming. Events such as the speaker series, graduate student initiatives, and collaborative projects with other institutions create spaces for dialogue across disciplines and geographies. These programs regularly bring scholars, artists, and community leaders into conversation on issues shaping Latin America, the Caribbean, and their diasporas.

Graduate students are central to LACS. The center supports student-led programming, research development, and opportunities for intellectual exchange, including conferences and events that connect emerging scholars across the Americas.

LACS also maintains a strong commitment to cultural production and community engagement. Past and ongoing initiatives—including exhibitions such as Unseen America, a documentary photography project created by Latino day laborers—reflect its investment in amplifying underrepresented voices and fostering connections between the university and broader communities.

LACS collaborates with institutions such as Columbia University, New York University, and CUNY Graduate Center, while continuing to build partnerships that extend its work beyond campus.