Join the University of Pittsburgh Library System and Hispanic Latino Professional Association for our annual Hispanic Round Table Discussions in celebration of

Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month!

This event is being held virtually.

The Hispanic Round Table Discussions is an event to celebrate Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month at the University of Pittsburgh (September 15-October 15, 2021).  Join the University Library System (ULS) and the Hispanic Latino Professional Association (HLPA) as we host 4 Hispanic and Latin/a/o/e/x identifying individuals from various parts of Latin America to share their culture, family structure, and experiences in small group settings in a virtual platform.

The goal of the Hispanic Round Table Discussions is to build understanding and challenge stereotypes and prejudices associated with Hispanic and Latin/a/o/e/x identifying individuals through friendly dialogue at the ULS. These open conversations can lead to greater acceptance and inclusion in the community.

This event requires registration. Registrants will receive the access link in an email message upon registering. 

Dr. Chester Thompson - Pan-Africanism: The premise of my presentation will be about the Pan-American diaspora from my personal lens. As an Afro-Costa Rican who migrated to the United States at the tender age of six to the Bronx, New York, I aim to share my lived experience and shared experience with the audience and other interested parties. Today, more than ever, we live in a world that is undergoing rapid change in how we perceive one another. The objective of this discussion is to reveal the common thread between all of us as we contribute to the American experience.

Dr. Angelica Perez-Johnston (she/ella) - Looking beyond the dichotomous perceptions of diversity in the City of Pittsburgh: Born and raised in rural PA to a Mexican father and White mother, Dr. APJ navigated bi-culturalism in unconventional ways. After much travel and moving, she landed back in rural PA to establish a life and family. This is Dr. APJ’s second journey in the Pittsburgh region. After living in Homestead 20 years ago, she now calls the North Side her “home away from home.” She is the Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer for the Community College of Allegheny County and the only Mexicana in a senior diversity position in Higher Education in the Pittsburgh Region.

Bianca DeJesus - Transcending boxes as an Afro-Latina: As a native of the Bronx, NY, I never thought too intently about race, identity or ethnicity because everyone was different. I was born to a Dominican mother and Puerto Rican father and raised with a Black stepfather. When I left New York, the conversation around identity seemed to be a constant. Latinidad and Blackness are my culture, my everyday life and show up for me in a myriad of beautiful and complex ways. Please join me as I talk about my journey as an Afro-Latina and how I became comfortable talking about my identity in different contexts.

Ana T. Flores - Between Two Cultures: My parents emigrated from Mexico to California in the mid-1980s. I grew up in the Mexican culture my parents brought with them, learning Spanish as my first language. However, I was quickly socialized in the school system and taught how to be a U.S. American. A complicated web of stealthy white supremacist ideals often resulted in shame, stigma, and low self-esteem for the children of immigrants – but we are growing up resilient, determined, and constantly balancing our identity between two cultures, emerging with unique strengths. I discuss these phenomena through my lens as a Mexican-American social work scholar.