In Episode 3, we throw it back to our beloved mini series Reporting from LASA 2024, from Season 9. We welcome back Johann Kirchenbauer, a graduate student from the Spanish and Portuguese department, who sits down with fellow PhD candidate, Waleska Solorzano, to talk about her experience in LASA 2024. Specifically, they discuss her ongoing research on what she terms as the “Venespora,” which she uses to think through the Venezuelan diaspora and its subversive artistic genealogy. Finally, Waleska discusses one of her many projects, the Venesporan Artists Project, a digital directory of contemporary Venezuelan artists from all over the world. We hope you enjoy the episode!

Episode 2 celebrates Pride Month by recognizing the work of LGBTQ+ members of our LAS community. This time Sarah chats with Kaina Mendoza Price, a recent LAS alumna whose ethnographic research sheds light to the experiences of trans Afro-Cubans who engage in Lukumí and Kongo religious networks in Havana. Kaina tells us about how her experiences as a trans-woman and her close relationship with her grandmother led to her enrollment in the Latin American Studies program and her current research interests on Afro-indigenous theologies in the Caribbean. She also tells us about the challenges of doing ethnographic research in territories that are characterized by intimate spiritual connections among minoritized groups. Lastly, the recent grad shares her experiences in LAS and gives undergraduate students some tips on how to take advantage of the program’s interdisciplinary nature. We hope you enjoy the episode!

For Season 11’s season premiere, Sarah sits down with Gabriela Piña, an assistant professor in the Universidad Mayor. Gabi reflects on her doctoral research in which she conducted ethnographic fieldwork with a pehuenche community in Southern Chile. The anthropologist also tells us about how her research led to her current engagement with collaborative methodologies with children and the youth. In particular, she focuses on her work with UNESCO, which sought to consider children’s voices within political processes such as the drafting of Chile’s new constitution. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, Sarah and Luísa reunite to reflect on this past season. We share our thoughts, feelings, and favorite moments — from standout episodes and special guests to fun behind-the-scenes stories. We also open up about what it's been like working together and how much has changed since we first kicked off the season. We hope you enjoy this episode!

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Peruvian archeologist, Dr. Solsiré Cusicanqui Marsano from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Solsiré reminisces on her initial interest in archeology and her current engagement with more community-based methodologies that seek to democratize the field through the consideration of local and Indigenous perspectives. She also shares with us her more recent field projects in two emblematic sites in Cajamarca: Colina Santa Apolonia and el Cuarto de Rescate. Lastly, the archeologist reflects on the future of archeology as a field that is becoming more interdisciplinary and collaborative. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, Luísa had the pleasure to sit down and chat with returning guests, Helen Batchoun and Juanita Arango! This time around, they share about Vivir Sin Miedo, a collective based on the University of Toronto, which aims to create spaces where all women and girls feel supported and understood. Our guests share about how the collective actively creates spaces where women are allowed to express themselves freely, the importance of those spaces, and how being in safer environments has allowed them to build community with other self-identifying girls and women. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, Sarah talks to Ximena Morillas Altamirano, an up-and-coming writer and educator from Cajamarca, Perú. She shares with us her personal journey with creative writing–from writing poems to her middle school crush, creating fanfiction on wattpad, to publishing her first poetry book Viaje Hacia El Mar. Xime also tells us about her current project Menú Literatrio, a creative workshop that seeks to teach and promote the writing craft in the Andean town. Lastly, the emerging artist shares with us some tips on how to start our own creative writing journey and recommends some Latin American writers that can serve us as inspiration.

El CafeciTO is extremely grateful to Ximena for agreeing to sit with us and have a pleasant conversation. If you are interested in supporting more of her work, you can follow her creative writing instagram @cimenaescribe or her personal one @cimestelar. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, Luísa sits down with Dr. Andrea Allen, an assistant professor at the Anthropology Department and Centre Diaspora and Transnational Studies at UofT. She talks about her research on Afro-Brazilian Lesbian relationships, with a particular focus on how those women both perform and deny Brazilian citizenship. Our guest also talks about Candomblé, its importance as one of the most popular Afro-Religions in Brazil, and the role it plays in the lives of lesbian initiated women. We hope you enjoy this episode!

In this episode, Sarah talks to Gabriel Tejada, professional photographer and documentarian from Cajamarca, Perú. He talks about how his experience with photography and cultural management led to his involvement in the documentary Carnaval La Fiesta Entre Carne y Espíritu. Gabriel also reflects on the creative process behind documenting Cajamarca’s carnival and the festivity’s importance for the cultural identity of Cajamarquinos. Lastly, the documentarian shares some encouraging words for students and the difficulties of finding a vocation.

If you are interested in learning more about the history behind Cajamarca’s carnival you can visit the webpage: https://www.museodelcarnaval.org/. To support more of Gabriel’s work you can follow his personal instagram @gabrieltejadas or his collaborative’s project @laoficina.lab. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, Luísa talks to Vanessa, Daniel and Homere, three undergrad students at the LAS program. They share some interesting thoughts about the program, how their perspectives about Latin America have changed, as well as some fun anecdotes about their experience in the program so far. Finally, our guests also give precious advice to students who are considering joining the Latin American Studies Program. We hope you enjoy the episode!