el CafeciTO

In this episode, Sarah talks to Johann Kirchenbauer, a Venezuelan PhD student from the Spanish and Portuguese Department. Johann tells us about his research interests in modern and contemporary Hispanic literatures and cultures with a focus on the Venezuelan diaspora. We also get to learn about his experience in the Latin American Studies Association (LASA)’s 2024 conference in Bogotá Colombia. Finally, Johann will tell us about a collaborative project he is doing with us, titled reporting from LASA 2024! Do not forget to follow us on instragram @podcastelcafecito to keep up with this content and more summer adventures. We hope you enjoy the episode! 🌊

For season 9's premiere, Sarah interviews renowned Argentine journalist and novelist Mariana Enriquez. Author of multiple bestselling novels like Los Peligros de Fumar en la Cama (2009), Las Cosas que perdimos en el Fuego (2016) and Nuestra Parte de la Noche (2019). In this episode, the Argentinian author discusses the affective impact of her horror stories, the important role that women play in her novels and, more generally, in vindicating the dead. She also talks about her peculiar use of social media, and gives LAS students wise advice about writing literary texts. We hope you enjoy the episode!

S08E11: The Finale

Welcome to El CafeciTO’s season 8 Finale! In this episode Luis & Sarah give some updates as to what they have been up to recently. They also reminisce over this year's podcasting highlights, lessons learned and goals for the future. Additionally, tune in for some exciting updates about El CafeciTO in the summer! We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode we commemorate 8 de Marzo, also known as International Women's Day. Sarah talks to Adriana Pérez-Rodríguez, a Colombian second-year PhD student at the Institute of Women and Gender Studies and feminist researcher. Adriana talks about her PhD research in Cucutá Colombia and her previous work as one of the directors of the Observatorio de Asuntos de Género de Norte de Santander, a social organization dedicated to feminist research and knowledge production. Lastly, she reflects on Latin American feminists movements and the relevance of 8 de Marzo in the region. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, Luis talks to Arturo Alexander Gomez, an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto studying criminology and neuroscience. Alex has a candid talk about his journey from Mexico to Calgary to Toronto, thoughts on the campus acting and theater scene, and an analysis on what we do to connect to our roots when we are abroad. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, Sarah talks to Andrés Lalama Vargas, a PhD Candidate of the History Department. Andrés talks about his experience as a history student and his research on symbolic spaces located at the margins of the city of Quito, Ecuador. Andrés also tells us about the different surprises that come up when doing archival research and his role as the co-editor of Past Tense Graduate Review of History, a student-led, peer reviewed journal. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, Luis sits down with Isidora Cortés-Monroy, a PhD student in Hispanic Literature at the Spanish and Portuguese Department. Isidora talks about how her love of fiction not only motivated her academic studies but also reconnected with her Latin American culture. She also elaborates on her research on mining literature in Chile and Bolivia, sharing its contributions to literary methodologies that help us think differently of the climate crisis. Lastly, Isadora shares her experience as a teaching assistant teaching hispanic realities.

In this episode, Luis chats with Fatima Sanchez, a Toronto based actress, singer, and dancer. Together, they discuss their shared Mexican heritage, their shared last name, and their passion for the performing arts. Fatima also shares her experiences training at the Randolph College of the Performing Arts, her time spent in Mexico, and her inspiration and drive for performing. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, Sarah catches up with Cassandra Yanez-Leyton, a LAS alumna who is now working as an associate producer and web writer for CBC Montreal. Cass was the founder and first host of our beloved podcast. Today, she reminisces about her time as an undergraduate student and the beginnings of el CafeciTO. Cass will also tell us about her graduate education and share about the creative process behind some journal articles that she has written for CBC Montreal. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this episode, Sarah talks to Alejandra Molina Vélez, a Puerto Rican undergraduate student who is majoring in Psychology and Latin American Studies. Ale is a loyal listener of the podcast. Today, she tells us about her extracurriculars, including her role as the Latin American Mentor Navigator at UofT Access and Inclusion Program. Ale will also reflect on her experience of growing up Puerto Rican in Toronto and also tell us about her recent adventure in Perú as she was part of LAS350’s International and Indigenous Course Module (IICM). We hope you enjoy the episode!

If you need help from your Latin American Mentor Navigator, you can book one-to-one appointments or drop-in to Ale’s office hours every Tuesday 4:10 to 5:00 p.m. at UofT’s Student Commons (230 College Street). Also, follow @uoftstudentlife on Instagram to keep up with future programming for Latin American students.