OLLAS Charlas Series

Upcoming Events

Stay tuned for updates! You can also follow us on social media to stay up to date on our Charlas!

Past Events

2022| 2021| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

2022

Evita: La Revolucionaria

Thursday, February 2, 2023 | 6:00 PM | CEC 201/205 | Flyer

Join UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) and Omaha Performing Arts for our co-sponsored conversation, “Evita: La Revolucionaria” on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at 6:00 PM in the UNO CEC 201/205. The event is FREE and open to the public.

Registration Link: bit.ly/3Xwz106

Learn about the life of the influential Doña Perón and how her story is told by Ballet Hispánico. Hosted by and featuring Dr. Cristián Doña-Reveco, OLLAS Director, and Dr. Claudia Garcia, Associate Professor of Foreign Languages & OLLAS faculty, and members of the Ballet Hispánico.

Ballet Hispánico will also perform their original work of Doña Perón on Saturday, February 4th at 7:30 PM at the Orpheum Theater ( 409 S 16th St, Omaha, NE 68102).

Immigration in the Midwest: What's Happening and how are Communities Responding?

Thursday, September 15, 2022 | 12:00 PM | Video

The Midwest is sometimes overlooked as an immigrant destination, and yet the populations of many Midwestern states are growing primarily because of immigrant and refugee movements in both urban and rural areas. Please join us for a panel discussion with researchers from Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and North Dakota. Scholars will discuss immigration patterns in the Midwest and how communities, including religious communities, respond to and are impacted by immigration. The panel was moderated by Dr. Cristián Doña-Reveco, Director of UNO Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS).

Panelists:

Dr. Emily Frazier
Assistant Professor
Missouri State University

Dr. Kristy Nabhan-Warren
Professor
University of Iowa

Dr. Karen Michalka
Assistant Professor
University of Mary

Conversatorio: A Human Rights Forum and Charla

Immigration and Economic Life
Thrusday, September 1, 2022 | 6:00 PM | KANEKO (111 Jones Street) and Zoom

Immigration impacts the economic vitality and well-being of the communities that immigrants come from and move to. In migrant-receiving countries, the economic impact of immigration is almost uniformly positive. Researchers have sometimes worried that immigration would drive down wages, but it turns out that increasing the number of workers and consumers improves economic vitality in almost all cases, including higher wages. Immigrants in the United States have brought small rural communities back from the brink of disappearing and have contributed billions of dollars in economic growth in Nebraska and elsewhere. Refugees, in particular, often need social assistance and services upon first arrival, but ultimately contribute more in economic growth than they receive.

In cooperation with the Carne y Arena exhibit at the KANEKO, in this Conversatorio a panel of scholars and community leaders discussed the economic impact of immigration, with a particular focus on Nebraska. Panelists examined economic and sociological research on migration and told the economic stories of immigrants in both urban and rural Nebraskan communities. The panel was moderated by Dr. Cristián Doña-Reveco, Director, UNO Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS).

Panelists:

Dr. Lina Traslaviña Stover
Executive Director
Heartland Workers Center

Dr. Christopher Decker
Professor, College of Business Administration
UNO

Ms. Dulce Sherman
Owner
Sherman Executive Consulting &
Chief HR& DEI Officer
Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative

This event was organized as a collaboration between KANEKO, the Emerson Collective, the UNO Goldstein Center for Human Rights, the Goldstein Family Community Chair in Human Rights, and the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS).

Conversatorio: A Human Rights Forum and Charla

Religious Freedom, Immigration & Humanitarian Aid
Thrusday, August 4, 2022 | 6:00 PM | KANEKO (111 Jones Street) and Zoom

Many religious teachings include commands to show hospitality to travelers and strangers, and many religious individuals and groups believe it is their religious and moral obligation to welcome and provide aid for immigrants. Groups sometimes face criticism, however, for providing shelter or transportation to immigrants. In a few cases, religious individuals and organizations have been charged with crimes in relation to their humanitarian work. Religious groups' advocacy on behalf of immigrants has also been subject to debate and
restrictions.

The Carne y Arena exhibit provides a glimpse into migrants' experiences at the U.S. southern border and why migrants might be in need of aid. In this Conversatorio, panelists discussed the issue of religious freedom in relation to religious groups' work with immigrants. Topics included debates over the idea of "religious freedom" in U.S. and other political arenas; court cases in which religious freedom is invoked in relation to aid to immigrants; the experiences of immigrants at the U.S. border and religious organizations that assist them; and religious groups that work with immigrants in the Omaha area. The panel was moderated by Dr. Brady DeSanti, UNO Religious Studies and Native American Studies.

Panelists:

Dr. Curtis Hutt
Associate Professor
Religious Studies, UNO

Dr. Laura Alexander
Assistant Professor
Religious Studies, UNO

Sister Mary Kay
Meagher,
Notre Dame Sisters

Rabbi Steven Abraham
Beth El Synagogue
Omaha

This event was organized as a collaboration between KANEKO, the Emerson Collective, the UNO Goldstein Center for Human Rights, the Goldstein Family Community Chair in Human Rights, and the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS).

2021

OLLAS CHARLA: Cuba and the Bankruptcy of the U.S. 'Change through Impoverishment' Policy

Thursday, November 18, 2021 | 6:00 PM | Video

UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) held their last OLLAS Charla of the Fall 2021 semester, with a public lecture by our very own faculty member and UNO’s Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Success, Dr. Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado.

For 60 years now, the U.S. policy towards Cuba has been one of little more than economic denial with the intent of fomenting internal dissent and bringing about change through the impoverishment of the Cuban people. When viewed through the long lens that the Cuban revolution offers us, and the “theme and variation” responses of the U.S. to our neighbor to the south, the news of popular uprisings, protests, arrests, and disappearances perhaps is signaling that the successor regime of Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel is steering the policy into dangerous waters. Dr. Benjamin-Alvarado reflects on what is to be done, and how the U.S. can re-direct the policy toward something that does not end up as yet another failure in the region.

About the OLLAS Charla Series
The name of the series, Charla, means “chat” in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

Human Rights Forum and OLLAS Charla

Covid-19 and Human Rights: Narratives of Latinos During the Pandemic
Tuesday, October 5, 2021 | 1:00 - 2:00 PM

The current pandemic has had a disproportionate effect of minorities and particularly on Latinos. Besides the comparatively higher mortality levels among this population, other negative effects include the lack of—or reduced—access to health services, increased food insecurity, a decrease in educational opportunities, among others. Based on the ongoing Voces of a Pandemic collaborative project, consisting in collecting oral histories from Latino communities facing these impacts, this panel discussed the complexities of accessing these basic services during COVID-19 from a perspective that centers the promotion and protection of human rights.

Panelists:

Dr. Beatrix Hoffman
Department of History
NIU

Dr. Isabella Beulaygue
OLLAS and Exploratory Studies
UNO

Wendy Guerra
Archives and Special Collections
UNO

Carolina Ripp George
Behavioral Health Therapist
OneWorld Community Health Centers

This event was organized as a collaboration between the UNO Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections, the Goldstein Family Community Chair in Human Rights, the Goldstein Center for Human Rights, and the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS). This event was funded in part by Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

About the OLLAS Charla Series
The name of the series, Charla, means “chat” in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

OLLAS CHARLA: Latinx Identity

Thursday, September 23, 2021

The UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) kicked off its first OLLAS Charla for the Fall 2021 semester on Thursday, September 23, 2021. This charla on Latinx Identity featured three student and alumni panelists, and our very own Dr. Thomas Sanchez, Associate Professor of Sociology and OLLAS faculty as moderator. This panel discussed Latinx identities and their complexities. Topics included preferred terminology, the history of these terms, personal experiences, and future changes.

This event was brought by OLLAS ArteLatinX, a biennial art exhibition that brings together and supports Lat inX artists from all over the Great Plains and addresses challenges, and creates a dialogue for those in and outside the arts.

About the OLLAS Charla Series
The name of the series, Charla, means “chat” in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

Escuela Nueva Activa: Quality Education for Equity, Citizenship, & 21st Century

Making Latinidad in Hollywood

Accomplishments and Challenges of Women in the Workplace

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OLLAS Charla | Tuesday, March 9, 2021 | 6 PM | Video

This virtual panel took a deeper look at the accomplishments and challenges women face in the workplace. Topics ranged from the gender pay gap, women role models, workplace policies, and more.

About the OLLAS Charla Series
The name of the series, Charla, means “chat” in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

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OLLAS Charla | Thursday, February 25, 2021 | 6 PM | Video

The UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) kicked off its first OLLAS Charla for the Spring 2021 semester on Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 6:00 PM, with Candice Castillo , Executive Director of Equity and Outreach for the Houston Independent School District and Omar Correa, OLLAS Faculty and UNO’s Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management who will moderate the event. As the Executive Director of Equity and Outreach, Ms. Castillo is responsible for districtwide oversight of Wraparound Services, family engagement strategies, student mentoring programs, parent center, and other special projects.

Her extensive experience engaging multicultural and cross-functional audiences and developing bilingual (English-Spanish) communications in various settings has fueled her passion for empowering communities and families to help their children succeed in school and in life. Come learn about how we can take steps to encourage our students of color to succeed in higher education and beyond!

About the OLLAS Charla Series
The name of the series, Charla, means "chat" in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

For more information please contact Yuriko Doku, OLLAS Assistant Director at ydoku@unomaha.eduor 402.554.3835.

2020

Learning to Be Latino: How Colleges Shape Identity Politics

OLLAS Charla | Tuesday, October 13th | 11:30 AM | Streamed online

UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) and Dr. Daisy Verduzco Reyes, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of California Merced, came together to bring you our second OLLAS Charla of the Fall 2020 semester. This virtual talk took place on Tuesday, October 13th, 2020 at 11:30 - 1:00 PM.

Colleges matter not only because they shape students’ job prospects, but also because they influence who, in a broader sense, students may become, shaping their understandings of themselves, their futures, and the world. We know that college campuses have very different organizational cultures, which shape students’ experiences in distinct ways. Institutional prestige receives a lot of attention, yet colleges vary along many other dimensions—all of which can affect students. For example, schools have different peer cultures, party scenes, athletic emphases, racial-ethnic climates, and political cultures. Some campuses enclose their students’ lives in a bubble for four years, offering an all-encompassing student life experience, while other schools enroll commuters with a very different relationship to the institution. How do these differences in campus climate playout for Latinos? Reyes explores how students learn particular and unique lessons at their college about what it means to be Latino on campus and in America; these lessons about identity are critical, as they inform understandings and strategies of how to best engage in collective action to advocate for change.

About the OLLAS Charla Series

The name of the series, Charla, means "chat" in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

Protests and Change in Venezuela & Beyond: Current Human Rights Issues in Latin America

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Human Rights Forum & OLLAS Charla | Tuesday, February 11, 2020 | 12 - 1 pm | CEC Room 230-231 | Video

Goldstein Center for Human Rights and The Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) for a Human Rights Forum & OLLAS Charla discussed the current human rights issues in Latin America. It took place on Tuesday, February 11 ^th from 12:00 – 1:00 pm, at the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center (CEC) Room 230- 231. Speakers, OLLAS Director & Associate Professor of the Dept. of Sociology/Anthropology, Dr. Cristián Doña-Reveco, and Assistant Professor of the Dept. of Political Science & OLLAS Faculty member, Dr. Brett Kyle. Moderated by Assistant Professor, Religious Studies and Goldstein Family Community Chair in Human Rights, Dr. Laura Alexander.

Multiple countries in Latin America have experienced massive protests and/or change in governance in the last year, with significant human rights implications. This forum helped attendees understand what is happening now in Venezuela and elsewhere, from UNO faculty with expertise in political and social issues in Latin America.

This event was Co-Sponsored by the Goldstein Center for Human Rights, the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies, and the UNO Chapter of the United Nations Student Association.

For more information please contact Angela Brown at angelambrown@unomaha.edu

About the OLLAS Charla Series

The name of the series, Charla, means "chat" in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

About the Human Rights Forum

The Human Rights Forum is an educational series sponsored by the UNO Goldstein Center for Human Rights. At each forum, a panel of expert speakers discusses a contemporary human rights topic. All are welcome, from UNO as well as the wider community.

2019

Observatory of Latinas/os in Nebraska: Immigrants and Latinas/os in the Nebraska press. 2017-2018

The UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) finalized its OLLAS Charlas for the Spring 2019 semester on Tuesday, April 16th from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm at the UNO MBSC Council Room, with a presentation from Dr. Cristián Doña-Reveco, OLLAS Director and Associate Professor of Sociology, and Lizet Reyes-Nuñez, M.S., OLLAS Graduate Research Assistant.

The Observatory of Latinos in Nebraska’s objective is to serve as a continuous source and analysis of information that can assist researchers, policy makers, and the community be informed and make informed decisions concerning a particular topic of relevance. In our first report, we documented and analyzed the presence and representation of Latinos in the Nebraska Press. We looked at theme, sources, and frames that have been present in the Omaha World Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star in 2017 and 2018. Using three keywords—Latinos, undocumented/illegal, immigration—we seek to explore the different conversations the media is proposing in relation to Latinos in Nebraska.

This event was supported by The Sherwood Foundation and the UNO Department of Sociology & Anthropology.

About the OLLAS Charla Series The name of the series, Charla, means "chat" in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

TPS and Other Immigrant Protected Statuses Under Trump Administration

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Tuesday, March 12, 2019 | 6 – 8 pm | Our Lady of Guadalupe Hall | Video

The UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) continued its OLLAS Charla for the Spring 2019 semester on Tuesday, March 12th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Our Lady of Guadalupe Hall, with a presentation by Oscar A. Chacón, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Alianza Americas.

Immigrant communities, particularly those with DACA, TPS and other forms of temporary protection, have borne the brunt of the current administration’s aggressive attempts to limit immigration and demonize immigrants. These communities have had their immigration status revoked, postponed, and reinstated by the courts. Their status remains in limbo. This presentation will update the public on the state of affairs around TPS recipients, and will explore possible short to medium term scenarios for this population, and the relationship of this particular issue to larger immigrant and immigration policy questions today.

Alianza Americas formerly known as National Alliance of Latin American & Caribbean Communities­ (NALACC), is an umbrella of immigrant led and immigrant serving organizations based in the United States of America, dedicated to improving the quality of life of Latino immigrant communities in the US, as well as of peoples throughout the Americas.

This event was supported by UNO’s The Goldstein Family Community Chair in Human Rights, University of Nebraska’s Office of Diversity, Access, and Inclusion and Alianza Americas.

About the OLLAS Charla Series
The name of the series, Charla, means "chat" in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

Is There a Lawyer in the House?: Nebraska Agricultural Workers’ Barriers to Free Legal Representation

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Tuesday, February 19, 2019 | 11:30 am - 1:00 pm | UNO - CEC Rm 230-231 | Video

The UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) continued its OLLAS Charla for the Spring 2019 semester on Tuesday, February 19th from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm at the UNO CEC Room 230/231, with a presentation by Dr. Thomas Sanchez, Associate Professor of Sociology and OLLAS faculty member.

In May of 2018, OLLAS with a grant from Legal Aid of Nebraska began to examine the question, What barriers to free legal advice and representation do migrant agricultural workers in the state of Nebraska face? This Charla includes background information on the politics of founding and funding of Legal Aid of Nebraska, the difficulties of conducting the research in the current political climate, and preliminary results.

This event was supported by the UNO Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Legal Aid of Nebraska, and Wells Fargo.

About the OLLAS Charla Series
The name of the series, Charla, means "chat" in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

Family Separations: What Science Tells us About Family Separations and Why all Nebraskans should care

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Monday, January 28, 2019 | 6 pm - 8 pm | Boys Town South Omaha (4612 S. 25th St. Omaha, NE 68107) | Video

The UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) kicked off its first OLLAS Charla for the Spring 2019 semester on Monday, January 28th from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, with a presentation by OLLAS Faculty members; Dr. Juan Casas, Associate Professor of Psycholoy, Dr. Lissette Aliaga-Linares, Assistant Professor of Sociology, and Dr. Jonathan Santo, Associate Professor of Psychology, at the Boys Town South Omaha location.

The presentation was over recent family separations happening in our south border with Mexico after the “Zero Tolerance Policy for Criminal Illegal Entry” was introduced by the Trump Administration. The presentation will focus on What science tell us about the harmful effects of family separations, the Negative impact of family separations on local communities, and Nebraska’s immigrant history and demographics.

This event was supported by the UNO Departments of Sociology & Anthropology and Psychology, Boys Town, and The Sherwood Foundation.

About the OLLAS Charla Series
The name of the series, Charla, means "chat" in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

2018

Freeing Verse: Slam Poetry, Testimonio, Inspiration, and Young Latino Experience

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Thursday, November 8, 2018 | 11:30 am - 1:00 pm | MBSC Nebraska Room

The UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) continued its OLLAS Charla for the Fall 2018 semester on Thursday, November 8 at 11:30 AM. With a talk by Joaquín Zihuatanjo with an introduction by Dr. Ramon Guerra, Associate Professor of English and OLLAS Faculty.

Joaquín Zihuatanejo is a poet, spoken word artist, and award-winning teacher. Born and raised in the barrio of East Dallas, in his work Joaquín strives to capture the duality of the Chicano culture. Sometimes brutal, but always honest his work depicts the essence of barrio life, writing about a youth that existed somewhere between the streets of the barrio and the dream wanderings of a boy who found refuge in a world of stories and poems.

This event was supported by UNO MAVForensics, Multicultural Affairs Office, UNO Office of Undergraduate Admissions, and the UNO English Department.

About the OLLAS Charla Series
The name of the series, Charla, means "chat" in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

Advancing Ethnic Relations & Diversity in Brazil: The Nexus of Research, Practice, and Policy

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Thursday, October 18, 2018 | 6:00 P.M. | MBSC Nebraska Room

The UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) continued its OLLAS Charla for Fall 2018 semester on Thursday, October 18 at 6:00 PM. with a talk by Dr. Josafa Cunha and Dr. Paulo Vinicius Baptosta da Silva, in the Milo Bail Student Center – Aksarben Room.

Dr. Josafa Cunha is the chair of Theory and Foundations of Education at the Federal University of Parana, in Curitiba, Brazil. He will present on his research on ethnic diversity and academic achievement, addressing the challenges of crafting school interventions to promote “Convivência”. The Conviver project fosters innovation in schools to address the particular issues related to improving life in schools and communities.

Dr. Paulo Vinicius Baptista da Silva is the Dean of Diversity and Inclusion at the Federal University of Parana (UFPR), in Curitiba. As the founding director of the African and African Brazilian Studies Center at UFPR, Dr. Da Silva is a leader in the field of ethnic diversity and inclusion in Brazil, and will discuss the challenges to advance ethnic relations and inclusion in the current political climate in Brazil.

The event was free and open to the public.

This event was supported by the UNO Departments of Psychology and Political Science.

Ethnicity and Victimization among Brazilian Adolescents: What can schools do?

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Tuesday, April 17, 2018 | 11:30 A.M. | MBSC Ballroom

OLLAS wrapped up its spring Charla series on Tuesday, April 17 ^th at 11:30 A.M. with a talk by Dr. Jonathan Santo, in the Milo Bail Student Center – Ballroom.

Dr. Jonathan Santo, Associate Professor of Psychology and OLLAS faculty, discussed the relationship between ethnic victimization and academic functioning, and interesting findings, including the discovery that respect for diversity at the school level moderated the association between ethnic victimization and academic functioning. Dr. Santo further discussed the implications of this study, especially with regards to the relevance of promoting respect for diversity at the school context. This Charla was based on these associations in a nation-wide sample of Brazilian adolescents.

The event was free and open to the public.

This event was co-sponsored by the UNO Department of Psychology.

EXODUS FROM THE LAND OF OIL:
Early Roots and Explosive Growth of Venezuela’s Diaspora

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Thursday, March 15, 2018 | 11:30am | MBSC Dodge Room

The 2017-2018 OLLAS Charla Series continued on Thursday, March 15 ^th at 11:30am with a talk with Dr. Lourdes Gouveia, in the Milo Bail Student Center – Dodge Room.

Dr. Lourdes Gouveia, Emerita OLLAS Director and Professor of UNO, based on her research on Venezuelan migration in the U.S., discussed how the first Venezuelan immigrants' waves came to salvage dreams of progress and modernity fueled largely by unsustainable oil rents. Current Venezuelan immigrant waves leave to save their livelihood and their very lives. Dr. Gouveia addressed some of these recent developments in the second part of her Charla.

The event was free and open to the public.

This event was co-sponsored by the UNO Departments of Sociology & Anthropology and Political Science.

Nahua Codices: writing and re-writing Aztec History without words

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Tuesday, February 20, 2018 | 11:30am | MBSC Dodge Room

The UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) kicked off its first OLLAS Charla for Spring 2018 semester on Tuesday, February 20 ^th at 11:30am with a lecture by Dr. Brenda Romero, in the Milo Bail Student Center – Dodge Room.

Dr. Brenda Romero, Program Director of Spanish & Program Director of Interpreting at the College of Saint Mary talked about the intriguing pictorial books of the Aztecs. Dr. Romero explained how these indigenous documents, created by the speakers of Náhuatl, communicate complex messages in terms of power, hierarchy, and identity without alphabetic writing. Her research focuses on the Codices of historical content, which reveal that fluidity and manipulation were at the center of the Nahua concept of history.

This event was co-sponsored by the UNO Native American Studies.

About the OLLAS Charla Series
The name of the series, Charla, means "chat" in English. Established in 2003, the series was created to engage the UNO and greater Omaha community in informed and informal conversations about Latino and Latin American related issues. Each event in the series is free and open to the public.

2017

Mapping the Marginal Role of Design in Immigrant Detention in Texas 1950s-present

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Tuesday, November 14, 2017 | 6:00pm | MBSC Ballroom

The UNO Department of History Annual Winchell Lecture presented Dr. Sarah Lopez, a built environment historian and migration scholar from the University of Texas at Austin. This talk mapped the growth of Texas’ detention infrastructure in relation to changing immigration policy and the privatization of incarceration. It also addressed the role of design in the production of detention space throughout the last forty years. A material history of immigrant detention centers revealed the absence of a comprehensive vision for immigrant detention as distinct from the U.S. penal system, normalizing the use of “non-normative” prison environments for America’s newest arrivals.

The talk was free and open to the public.

The talk was co-sponsored by the UNO's Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) and Western History Association.

Identity, Social Activism and the Pursuit Higher Education : A Community Panel and Discussion
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
11:30 am, MBSC Ballroom

The UNO's Multicultural Affairs Office hosted a community panel and discussion with special guests: Dr. Susana Muñoz, assistant professor and co-coordinator of the Higher Education Leadership doctoral specialization in the School of Education at Colorado State University; her research is on issues of access, equity, and college persistence for undocumented Latina/o students, Senator Tony Vargas, Nebraska Legislature and Ross Pesek, Pesek Law, LLC. Guests shared their expertise on the current landscape for undocumented and DACA students, higher education in Nebraska, findings from their most recent research and gave students and community members the opportunity to ask questions and engage in dialogue about our campus culture, student activism and changes coming to our campuses nation wide.

The event was free and opened to the public.

The event was part of several UNO events celebrating Latino Heritage Month, sponsored by Multicultural Affairs and Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS).

Nebraska Dreamin': The Lives of Omaha DACA Students
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Monday, September 25, 2017

The UNO’s Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) kicked off its first OLLAS Charla for Fall 2017 semester on Monday, September 25 at 11:30am with a lecture by Dr. Thomas Sanchez, in the Milo Bail Student Center - Ballroom.

The event was free and open to the UNO community and the public.

Dr. Thomas Sanchez, OLLAS Faculty and Associate Professor of Sociology & Anthropology addressed his most recent research about DACA students.

The Charla (which means “chat” or “conversation” in Spanish) was part of several UNO events celebrating Latino Heritage Month, sponsored by OLLAS and Multicultural Affairs. The Sept. 25 Charla is co-sponsored by the UNO’s Department of Sociology & Anthropology.

International Migration and Social Services: The Impact of Educational Levels in the Access to Education, Health and Housing in Chile
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Thursday, January 26, 2017

OLLAS wrapped up its spring Charla series with a talk from Dr. Cristián Doña-Reveco, a finalist for the OLLAS Director's position entitled "International Migration and Social Services: The Impact of Educational Levels in the Access to Education, Health and Housing in Chile."

Dr. Doña-Reveco is a faculty member in the Escuela de Sociología at Universidad Diego Portales (UDP) in Santiago, Chile. He is also an adjunct researcher at the Centre for Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies and the Director of UDP’s Observatorio de Desigualdades. His research interests lie in international migration within the Americas in a comparative-historical perspective.

If you missed the talk, you can view it online

Stories of the Undocumented: Cultural Trauma and American DREAMers
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Tuesday, January 24, 2017

The OLLAS Charla Series continued its 13th year with a talk from Dr. Marta Caminero-Santangelo, a finalist for the OLLAs' Director position, entitled "Stories of the Undocumented: Cultural Trauma and American DREAMers."

Dr. Caminero-Santangelo is a professor in the English Department and Interim Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Kansas. Her academic research in the field of 20th and 21st century U.S. Latina/o literary studies focuses on the conjunction between literature, group identity, and what we might call activism, or the ability to promote social change.

If you missed the talk, you can view it online

Fragile States, Migration and Development: Central American Migrants in the XXI Century
Thursday, January 19, 2017
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The OLLAS Charla Series kicked off with a talk from Dr. Manuel Orozco, a finalist for the OLLAS Director's position entitled "Fragile States, Migration and Development: Central American Migrants in the XXI Century".

Dr. Orozco is senior associate and director of remittances and development at the Inter-American Dialogue. Dr. Orozco is also chair of Central America and the Caribbean at the U.S. Foreign Service Institute at the U.S. Department of State. He also teaches at American University, Georgetown and George Washington University.

If you missed the talk, you can view it online

2016

Contesting Neoliberalism Latino Grassroots Politics Reclaiming Democracy
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Thursday, March 17, 2016

OLLAS wrapped up its spring Charla series with a talk from Dr. Raymond Rocco, a finalist for the OLLAS Director's position, entitled "Contesting Neoliberalism: Latino Grassroots Politics Reclaiming Democracy."

Dr. Raymond Rocco is on the faculty of the Department of Political Science at the University of California at Los Angeles. His work focuses on studying how the evolving relationships between neoliberalism, democracy, citizenship, and human rights have affected Latino/a communities in the U.S. and traces the development of Latino grassroots organizing that challenge the regime of neoliberalism. His recent book,Transforming Citizenship: Democracy, Membership, and Belonging in Latino Communities , received the Latino Politics Award for Best Book in 2014 by the APSA Latino Caucus and he is currently working on a book, Contesting Neoliberalism: Latino Grassroots Politics Reclaiming Democracy.

If you missed the talk, you can view it online.

Mexican Civic Engagement across Borders: An Agenda for Research and Policy Change
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Monday, March 7, 2016

The OLLAS Charla Series continued its 13th year with a talk from Dr. Xóchitl Bada, a finalist for the OLLAS Director's position, entitled "Mexican Civic Engagement Across Borders: An Agenda for Research and Policy Change."

Dr. Xóchitl Bada earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame in 2008 and is now an Associate Professor in the Latin
American and Latino Studies Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Her research interests include immigrant access to political and social rights, Black-Latino relations, immigrant organizing strategies, and transnational labor advocacy mobilization in Mexico and the United States. She is a co-convener of De Aquí y de Allá: Jóvenes Sin Fronteras, the First Strategic Dialogue between Latino DACAmented leaders and young deported leaders celebrated in Mexico City in 2015. Dr. Bada recently published a book, Mexican Migrant Hometown Associations in Chicagoacán: From Local to Transnational Civic Engagement.

If you missed the talk, you can view it online. We apologize but we experienced technical difficulties in the recording of this lecture. We are sorry for the blurry visual throughout.

"Memoria Histórica" and the peace Process in Colombia
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Monday, February 29, 2016

The OLLAS Charla Series kicked off its 13th year with a talk from Dr. Rachel May, a finalist for the OLLAS Director's position, entitled "'Memoria Histórica' and the Peace Process in Colombia."

If you missed the talk, you can view it online.

2014

Immigration Laws and Migrant Families
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Tuesday, November 11, 2014

The impact of immigration laws on migrant children and families was the topic for the speaker hosted by the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS).

On Tuesday, Nov. 11, Cecilia Menjívar, a native of El Salvador and professor of sociology at Arizona State University, examined the effects of the contemporary immigration regime—both the legislative and enforcement sides—on the configuration of immigrant families. Menjivar notes that “these effects go beyond the individuals who go through the system and impact entire societies." Read more...

Couldn't make it to the Charla? Watch it online. ¿No pudo venir a la Charla? Mírela en línea.

The History of Deportability in the United States
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Volante en español
Wednesday, October 22, 2014

On Wednesday, Oct. 22, the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s (UNO) Office of Latino/ Latin American Studies (OLLAS) kicked off its annual Charla speaker series with a presentation from Torrie Hester, Ph.D., who discussed the history of deportation in the United States.

The topic of the discussion specifically addressed three issues with U.S. deportation policy:
- the origins of the United States federal deportation policy in the 1880s
- the introduction of provisions to that policy in the early 20th century aimed at women
- the status of America’s deportation policy today, in which nearly one million people are deported annually, almost all of which are of Mexican nationality. Read more..

2013

Men on the Move: Masculinities and the Ambivalence of Ambition in the Context of Migration
Presenter: Dr. Maria Tapias
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Thursday, April 11, 2013

The 2012-2013 OLLAS Charla Series continued on Thursday, April 11, from 5:00p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) Collaborating Commons, room 132D, with a presentation by Dr. Maria Tapias titled “Men on the Move: Masculinities and the Ambivalence of Ambition in the Context of Migration.” Dr. Tapias explored issues of gender structures and newly defined roles at home and work that often accompany migration.

Puerto Rico and the Defense of Public Higher Education
Presenter: Gamelyn F. Oduardo Sierra
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Volante en español
Friday, April 5, 2013

Gamelyn F. Oduardo Sierra, a Puerto Rican lawyer and social activist, was on campus Friday, April 5, to speak about the 2010 and 2011 student strikes in Puerto Rico that shut down all but one of the University of Puerto Rico campuses. The event took place in 132D College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) Commons, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. A Spanish version of this Charla was given on Friday, April 5 from 6:00-7:30pm at the Heartland Workers Center.

Immigration Update: An Insider's Perspective on the Latest Developments in Immigration Policy
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Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Chuck Pratt is a Community Relations Officer of the United States Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS). Officer Pratt provided information and answered questions about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Secured Communities, and Temporary Protective Status (TPS) programs. Officer Pratt also shared helpful information about the risks associated with the unauthorized practice of immigration law.

2012

The U.S. Immigration Legal System
Presenter: Emiliano Lerda from Justice For Our Neighbors - Nebraska
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Emiliano Lerda, an Argentine-born attorney, spoke to the maze of rules and laws that affect the lives of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the U.S. and to the role small legal clinics are playing in helping immigrants navigate these rapidly changing rules.

2011

OLLAS Charla with Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas
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Thursday, November 10, 2011

The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s (UNO) Office of Latino/Latin America Studies (OLLAS) brought a prominent Mexican politician to campus as part of its Charla series.

As part of its second session of the 2011-2012 school year, OLLAS hosted Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, former mayor of Mexico City and founder of the Party of the Democratic Revolution, as he discussed the current Mexican political climate and U.S.-Mexican relations. Cárdenas also recently received the Belisario Dominguez Award, a Medal of Honor that is the highest recognition given by the Mexican Senate.

The event, which was held on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Thompson Alumni Center, was free and open to the public. Complementary Spanish-to-English translation was also provided.

Additional support for the Charla series was provided by UNO’s Political Science Department, UNO's Office of Academic and Student Affairs, the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities and the Heartland Worker's Center.

The Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) kicked off its 2011-2012 Charla series at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 20, with a lecture by Dr. Maylei Blackwell in the Milo Bail Student Center Nebraska Room.

The event was free, and open to the UNO community and the public.

Blackwell is an interdisciplinary scholar who teaches and conducts research at the Cesar Chavez Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. She specializes in gender, politics of race, indigenous women rights, Latin American feminism, and borderland studies. Her research focuses on Chicana, Mexican and Latino women. Blackwell’s UNO presentation was based on her latest book, ¡Chicana Power! Contested Histories of Feminism in the Chicano Movement, published earlier this year by the University of Texas Press. In the book, Blackwell retells the stories of the emergence of Chicana feminism in the student- and community-based organizations throughout southern California and the Southwest during the 1960s and 1970s.

“Dr. Blackwell speaks truth about all women who have been written out of history,” said Dr. Thomas Sanchez, OLLAS and sociology professor. “The truth is that these lives were as important to society then as they are today. Chicanas were at the vanguard of the Chicano movement and retain that position in Chicano studies.”

The Charla (which means “chat” or “conversation” in Spanish) was part of several UNO events celebrating Latino Heritage Month, sponsored by OLLAS, Student Organizations and Leadership Programs, and the Student Cultural Programming Committee.

The Sept. 20 Charla was co-sponsored by the UNO's Department of History and Women’s and Gender Studies Program.

To watch the video of Dr. Saenz' presentation, click here: Video Presentation: "Latinos in 2010 and the Future of the U.S."

The Spring 2011 OLLAS Charla speaker series, cosponsored by the Departments of Sociology & Anthropology and the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), kicked off at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13 in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service Collaborating Commons (Room 132) at UNO. Rogelio Saenz presented “Latinos in 2010 and the Future of the U.S.”

Saenz is a professor in the Department of Sociology at Texas A&M University. He is also a fellow of the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire, and he was recently selected as the new dean of the College of Public Policies at the University of Texas-San Antonio. He has written extensively on topics related to demography, immigration, Latinos, ethnicity, race and inequality, including a co-authored article on Nebraska’s immigration and Latino population growth. Saenz is a co-editor of Latinas/os in the United States: Changing the Face of America.

“Professor Saenz is an eminent national scholar and great speaker whose visit could not be more timely,” said Lourdes Gouveia of OLLAS (the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies) at UNO. “The need for all of us to better educate ourselves about the Latino population, in all of its complexities, is of great urgency at a time like this, when so much speculation and irresponsible vitriol passes for information. The rigor of disciplines such as Sociology and Latino/Latin American Studies are critical ingredients for us to achieve this educational and public service goal.”

The Jan. 13 event was free and open to the UNO and Omaha communities.

Please check Dr. Saenz's recent publication: Population Reference Bureau: Latinos in the U.S. 2010

2010

2009

“I was raised talking like my mom:” The Influence of Mothers on the Spanish of MexiRicans
-- A conversation about Spanish heritage speakers
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Thursday, November 12, 2009

Dr. Kim Potowski , director of the Spanish for Native Speakers program at the University of Illinois-Chicago, discussed the various kinds of Spanish spoken in America today. She has conducted a considerable amount of research about the linguistic characteristics of the Spanish language spoken by heritage speakers. In her presentation, she discussed some of the characteristics of the Spanish of one specific group of Spanish heritage speakers – MexiRican Spanish speakers – who have one parent who speaks Mexican Spanish and another who speaks Puerto Rican Spanish.
Such exposure to two different dialects of Spanish, while a child is also becoming bilingual in English, results in a language contact phenomenon that Dr. Potowski explored in her presentation.

Traditionally, the Spanish classroom has been made up of second-language learners. However, a growing number of students enrolled in Spanish courses are heritage speakers of Spanish; that is, people who were raised in a home where Spanish was spoken, who speak or understand Spanish.

This event was free and open to the public.

Co-sponsors included Wiley Publishing, the UNO Department of Foreign Languages and the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS)

Latin America & Immigration in the Obama Era
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Thursday, October 15, 2009

The Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) at UNO held another event in its ongoing Charla Series on Thursday, Oct. 15, with a four-person panel discussion of “Latin America and Immigration in the Obama Era.” Charla is the Spanish term for conversation or chat.

"Today, the Americas are more connected than ever before. What happens in countries such as Venezuela, Colombia or Bolivia has repercussions in the U.S and vice versa. We hope to engage the audience in a discussion about a whole host of interesting questions, including Obama's policy toward Latin America," said Professor Maria Arbelaez, History and OLLAS faculty member.

UNO faculty members Maria Arbelaez, Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, Claudia García and Lourdes Gouveia led the discussion, which was free and open to the campus community and the public.

Film Screening and Discussion: Made in L.A.
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Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) kicked off its 2009-10 Charla Series Thursday, Sept. 17, with a screening of the documentary “Made in L.A.” Immediately following the film, there was an open discussion of the film, facilitated by students from a “Migration, Race, and Globalization” seminar.

“Made in L.A.” documents a groundbreaking lawsuit and consumer boycott where three Latina garment workers fight to establish an important legal and moral precedent holding an American retailer liable for the labor conditions. The documentary provides an insider’s view into the struggles of recent immigrants and the organizing process.

The UNO community and the public were invited to attend this free event.

For more information on the film, visit http://www.madeinla.com/

Success in College - It takes more than just hope
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Tuesday, March 24, 2009

OLLAS and Goodrich Scholarship Program faculty member Troy Romero (ABD) discussed research that investigates factors that contribute to academic success in higher education. He addressed distinctions between traditional and non-traditional students, the relationship between academic performance and social networks, and how students deal with unexpected obstacles.

2008

Jorge Ernesto Espejel, the Mexican Consul for Iowa and Nebraska, discussed his personal experiences as a consul in Texas and now in Omaha. The talk, titled “The Reality of Mexican Migrants: From Eagle Pass to Omaha,” was held on Friday, October 10 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm in the Gallery Room on the third floor of UNO’s Milo Bail Student Center.

The talk was part of the Latino Heritage Month celebrations and it was cosponsored with Cultural Awareness Programs. The presentation was in Spanish with simultaneous English interpretation.

All community and UNO members were welcome. Refreshments were served.

Immigration in America, Our Shared Values
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Wednesday, April 9, 2008

A conversation with Alan Potash, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League Plains Region.

The topic of immigration and the shared value system that shapes our view of immigration in the United States was explored. The Anti-Defamation League Plains Region is committed to addressing the issues of prejudice and discrimination that affect the people of Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas, in order “to secure justice and fair treatment for all citizens.” The office provides numerous educational programs to the region, monitors and exposes racial and religious extremists, and advocates the enforcement of hate crimes legislation.

2007