Members of the UNC community gathered over Zoom on Thursday for "The UNC Latina/o Studies Program – Past, Present, and Future," an event presented by 225 Carolina.
The event reflected on the past 22 years of success and growth of the Latina/o studies program at UNC.
Faculty members spoke about the evolution of the program over time. Undergraduate and graduate students also detailed their personal experiences with the Latina/o studies program.
What began as the UNC Latina/o Cultures Speakers Series in 1999 has grown into a program that offers an undergraduate minor and courses across many different departments at the University.
María DeGuzmán, founding director of the Latina/o studies program, attributed the program’s immense growth over the years to the commitment shown by the University community.
“The energy that the people at the University have shown the program has been tremendous,” DeGuzmán said. “There are faculty from many different departments associated with the program, and it has brought together people from many different programs. The students themselves also help to bring energy to the program.”
Over the course of the event, DeGuzmán highlighted the significant Latinx demographics within the United States.
“18.5 percent of the U.S. population is Latinx — that’s over 60 million people,” DeGuzmán said. “Since they make up such a significant portion of the U.S. population, everyone should take the time to learn about Latinx history.”
Geovani Ramírez, a UNC postdoctoral teaching assistant professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literature, said all the hard work that DeGuzmán and other faculty members have put into the program over the years has led to its monumental growth.
