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Latina/Latino Studies

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Urbana, IL
Latina/Latino Studies

Latina/Latino Studies (LLS) is an interdisciplinary department devoted to the study of Latin American origin populations in the United States.

The Department of Latina/Latino Studies (LLS) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign is an interdisciplinary unit devoted to the study of Latin American origin populations in the United States. We offer small, intimate classes in which students can critically explore various facets of Latina/o social, political, and cultural life. LLS faculty—trained in diverse disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, history, media studies, literature, performance studies, public health, and ethnic studies—are excellent teachers and scholars deeply committed to working with undergraduates. Our goal is to provide students with the skills and knowledges they need to be active and successful participants in our multi-racial, multi-cultural democracy.

09/17/2026

⭐Internship spotlight ⭐

Cecelia Escobar, a senior majoring in Latina/Latino studies and political science, served as an outreach intern this summer for the Illinois Department of Labor.

"I learned a lot about Illinois labor laws and the general workings of state government. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes, and I was able to learn a lot about the efforts being taken to make sure people are not only aware of their rights but also able to access the resources available to them when they are not being treated properly."

Learn more about her experience in her blog post in the comments.

09/16/2026

Join us for the LLS Open House! Come meet LLS faculty, staff, and students. Food and refreshments will be provided.

📅September 23, 2026
🕧4:30-6:00 PM
📍LLS Building 1207 W Oregon St.

09/14/2026

⭐Internship spotlight ⭐
Katherine Garcia, a junior double majoring in Latina/Latino studies and political science with a minor in business, spent her summer interning in three Illinois legislative offices as part of the NextGen Scholars for Change Public Service Internship program.

"This experience changed the way I understand public service. I learned that good policy cannot exist separately from the people it is supposed to serve. Working directly with constituents while also researching and advocating for policy showed me the importance of listening first and then finding ways to turn those experiences into meaningful action."

Read her blog post about the experience at the link in the comments.

09/10/2026

Today! Attend the book launch event for "Quinceañeras: Latinidades and Girlhood in Popular Culture" by Diana Leon-Boys, Jillian Báez, and Angharad N. Valdivia!

📅September 10
🕧4:30-6
📍Spurlock Museum

More details at the link in the comments.

09/09/2026

Congratulations! 🥳

Richard Flores Jardines, a senior Latina/Latino studies and political science major with a minor in minoritarian aesthetics, received second place for an undergraduate research talk at the 2026 Illinois Summer Research Symposium (ISRS).

Flores Jardines presented their senior honors thesis "En Defensa De Madres: Addressing Intergenerational Gaps in Latinx Mental Health Discussions and Somatics."

"Their research and presentation is beautiful and culturally rich. I look forward to following their work, as I believe their theory will further clinicians and researchers understanding of cultural healing practices and inform clinical praxis," said the judge for the symposium.

Learn more at the link in the comments.

09/08/2026

An interdisciplinary group of faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Illinois, including faculty in the Department of Latina/Latino Studies have received a grant from the The Center for Advanced Study at Illinois to study sanctuary spaces and borderlands.

Focusing on the Midwest, the collective hopes to illuminate how sanctuary operates amid contemporary migration dynamics, state policies, and grassroots resistance.

Their first event is on October 8. Learn more at the link in the comments.

09/02/2026

Professor Mirelsie Velázquez has been selected for the 2026-2027 OpEd Project Public Voices Fellowship!

The fellowship is a year-long program led by the OpEd Project that helps faculty amplify their expertise in ways that contribute to public conversations about pressing issues.

Learn more about the fellowship at the link in the comments.

09/01/2026

Mark your calendars for the book launch event for "Quinceañeras: Latinidades and Girlhood in Popular Culture" by Diana Leon-Boys, Jillian Báez, and Angharad N. Valdivia!

📅September 10
🕧4:30-6
📍Spurlock Museum

More details at the link in the comments.

08/20/2026

⭐Graduate Minor Spotlight ⭐
Gerson Morales is a PhD candidate in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and a graduate minor in Latina/Latino studies. He has also been a teaching assistant for LLS 100: Introduction to Latina/Latino Studies. His research focuses on Central American and Latinx cultural studies.

Check the comments for a link to a Q&A with Morales to learn more about his research.

University of Illinois School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics

08/11/2026

How can we support teachers in creating safe spaces for students where they can be their authentic selves?

Saraí Blanco Martinez, a Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Latina/Latino Studies, explored this question in a co-authored article that identified 4 practices integral to creating a trauma-informed and healing-centered classroom: safety and agency, rituals and routines, emotions and embodiment, and love and belonging.

These practices create a classroom where students feel like they have the agency to choose their level of participation, feel supported when they express vulnerability, feel a sense of belonging, and are invited to connect with their bodies and emotions.

Learn more about her research at the link in the comments.

Address

1207 W Oregon Street, MC/136
Urbana, IL
61801

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12172650370

Website

http://www.lls.illinois.edu/

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