A message from Director Juan De Lara
Dear colleagues and friends,
The recent fires in Altadena and Pacific Palisades are stark reminders that environmental catastrophes exacerbate existing inequities. Our colleagues at the UCLA Luskin School have documented the disparate effects of these fires on Black and Latino households across Los Angeles County. Their findings reinforce what many of us working in affected communities have witnessed firsthand: the compound nature of environmental vulnerability in communities already burdened by economic precarity and historical patterns of disinvestment.
As we grieve with those who have lost loved ones and homes to these fires, we must also confront the insidious threats stemming from a long history of environmental disaster. For example, the lingering effects of smoke-related toxins pose ongoing health risks for workers and residents that go unnoticed and unaddressed. These dangers are particularly acute in working class and poor neighborhoods, which already experience disproportionate exposure to ambient pollution from industrial facilities, transportation corridors, and other environmental hazards. Consequently, these communities find themselves trapped in a devastating cycle, where each new environmental crisis compounds existing health and economic disparities.
In response to these challenges, the Center for Latinx and Latin American Studies is building collaborative partnerships across USC and beyond to identify effective strategies that address the complex interplay between climate change, environmental vulnerability, racial inequities, and economic status. Central to our mission is the transformation of academic and public discourses on climate and sustainability. This initiative reflects our Center’s commitment to scholarship that serves our communities while advancing important intellectual debates.
As California grapples with increasingly frequent and severe climate disasters, our work becomes more urgent. We invite colleagues across disciplines to join us in this critical effort to build more resilient and equitable communities in the face of environmental change.
Juan De Lara, Ph.D.
Director
Center for Latinx and Latin American Studies
Associate Professor
American Studies and Ethnicity
University of Southern California
We invite you to join us:
Spreading the word about our upcoming gatherings as well as those of our circles. If you would like us to share something you are organizing, please let us know by reaching out via email to latinx@usc.edu. Click on the image or title for the event that interests you to learn more about how to participate.
CLLAS Spring 2025 Calendar
Giving you a sneak peek at the gatherings we are looking forward to! Stay tuned for more details by visiting this site, signing up to receive our newsletter, or following us on social media.
CFP: Ethnographic Salon 2025
The 2025 Ethnographic Salon–an annual event hosted by the Ethnography Studio celebrating various forms of ethnographic analysis–will explore interference as a condition for and object of ethnographic research, with our guests Meghanne Barker (University College London), Jenny Chio (USC), and Juno Salazar Parreñas (Cornell University). The 2025 Salon will be open to doctoral students in Southern California and the EMERGE collective, and will consist of an in-person workshop on April 11th.
El Respiro / Respire: A Panel and Performance with Carolina Caycedo on March 1st
“Respire” signals the recovery of hope, courage, or strength after a time of difficulty.
El Respiro / Respire is a participatory performance developed by Los Angeles–based multidisciplinary Colombian artist Carolina Caycedo, who will lead up to 150 participants in spelling Transición Justa Ya and Just Transition Now with their bodies. To increase awareness about community-led efforts to transition away from fossil fuels, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for USC students and the public to create works of art with leaders at the intersection of art, science, and environmental justice will be preceded by a conversation with Caycedo and experts from Latin America and Los Angeles about just energy transition.
Inland Empire People’s History Conferece: Extended CFP Deadline to March 1st
The Inland Empire People’s History Conference seeks to bridge university research, creative activities, and community activism to explore the art, culture, and histories of Inland Southern California. As one of the most ethnically diverse parts of the United States, the inland region of Southern California (or I.E.), is historically significant to the social, economic, and political development of California, the American West, and the United States.
No A La Minería, Sí A La Vida: A Cachimbona Live Show on March 25th
This live Radio Cachimbona show will discuss the political persecution that the Bukele administration is engaging in, and how the administration’s proposed return to mining will severely impact the country’s environment, access to water, and health. Join us to learn, spread awareness, and, if you are able to, help raise funds for the community of Santa Marta.
Explore Undergraduate Majors & the Graduate Certificate Program
Studying environmental justice, cultural arts, public history, imperialism, linguistics, migration, media, or race? Check out our affiliated undergraduate programs and our graduate certificate program for opportunities to cultivate your scholarship.
Contact & Visit
University of Southern California
3501 Trousdale Pkwy
Mark Taper Hall (THH) 309
Los Angeles, CA 90089
latinx@usc.edu
