Contributed by graduate student Ivonne Cotorruelo.

The fellowship funds were used to support transportation expenses related to my travel to the University of Tulane for Moving Media in the Americas, Conference, December 4, 5 and 6. Specifically, the funds covered the cost of my round-trip airline ticket and taxi transportation to and from the airport. No additional expenses were incurred.

The primary purpose of my visit to Tulane University was to advance my ongoing research through direct engagement with academic resources and scholarly communities relevant to my field of study. During my time at Tulane, I presented my project – related to curatorial justice within the context of Latin American Film, which is crucial to my research and dissertation. Access to Tulane’s academic environment and to this conference refine key research questions and enhance the methodological framework of my work.

In addition, the visit provided an opportunity to establish academic connections with faculty and researchers whose work aligns closely with my own. One of the colleagues at the conference presented a work that is related to mine and we are thinking about editing a volume of academic essays in the future. The interactions at the Conference were valuable not only for immediate feedback on my research but also for fostering future collaboration and intellectual exchange.

Overall, the travel fellowship played a crucial role in supporting the progress of my research by enabling in-person access to networking, expertise, and academic networks that would not have been possible otherwise. I am grateful for this support and for the opportunity to further develop my project in such a stimulating academic setting.

Contributed by graduate student Luis Palomino.

My research focuses on spatial economics and regional development. I study local development economics using unstructured and structured data and machine learning methods. A key goal of my doctoral preparation is to build fine-grained measures of economic activity that can be linked to official statistics and applied across countries. In this context, attending the ASSA 2026 Annual Meeting (January 3–5, 2026, Philadelphia) was important for improving my methods, refining my research direction, and connecting with scholars in urban, spatial, and development economics.

The Whetten Latin American Studies Fellowship Fund provided USD 685 in Fall 2025, which was used only for conference expenses. The funds covered round-trip transportation, three nights of lodging near the venue, student registration, the AEA Mentoring and Networking Luncheon fee, and local transportation and meals. These expenses enabled full participation in conference sessions and professional events.

I attended multiple sessions: Advances in Computational Economics; Studies in Development Economics; Measuring Development – New Tools; Advances in Spatial Economics; Machine Learning, Prediction Errors, and Causal Inference; Measuring Misallocation and Reallocation. Chairs included Jesús Fernández-Villaverde, Manaswini Rao, Edward Glaeser, Pascaline Dupas, Dave Donaldson, Matthew Gordon, Jonathan Dingel, Stuart Rosenthal, and Kunal Sangani. The presentations highlighted new ways in spatial economics and economic measurement using machine learning for unstructured data — such as satellite imagery, text, and mobile phone records — which are central to my current work.

I also participated in the AEA Mentoring and Networking Luncheon at the Urban and Spatial Economics table led by Professor Edward Glaeser. The discussion focused on the research of each panel member, urban and spatial economics research, and career development. At the ASSA sessions and events, I spoke with graduate students and researchers about data construction, replication, and collaboration using large-scale spatial datasets.

The conference helped refine how I will incorporate uncertainty and benchmarking into spatial allocation models. These ideas apply to my dissertation on regional development in Peru and to a related project on fine-grained GDP measurement in the United States using satellite and labor data, aligned with current NBER priorities on economic measurement.

Overall, the fellowship enabled full participation in ASSA 2026. The training, feedback, and professional connections gained will guide the next stages of my doctoral research and future grant proposals.

Contributed by graduate student Beatriz Torres Do Nascimento.

I am very happy to have completed my initial research prospectus. At this stage, my research, entitled “From Brazil to the United States: The Reconfiguration of Privilege and Racial Identity among Brazilian Immigrants,” feels much clearer and more structured, which brings me a great sense of relief and motivation to move forward with it throughout this semester. Reaching this milestone has strengthened my confidence in the direction of my work and reaffirmed the relevance of my research questions and theoretical framework.

At the end of last year, in December, I also had the opportunity to carry out a meaningful and impactful project alongside highly engaged undergraduate students and my academic advisor Professor Camilo Ruiz, which was even published by the CT Mirror website. Together, we presented valuable and accessible information to the immigrant community in Hartford, with a particular focus on immigrants’ rights, safety, and health. This experience was especially rewarding, as it allowed us to bridge academic knowledge and community engagement, ensuring that our work had practical implications for the population we aim to support.

Finally, I am very excited to present my research at the MACLAS 2026 conference. This will be my first academic conference presentation, and I am genuinely enthusiastic about the opportunity. I see a significant gap in the existing literature on Brazilian immigrants living in the United States, particularly regarding issues of racial identity, privilege, and social positioning, so it is important to occupy these spaces and fill this gap.

Contributed by graduate student Michelle Miller.

With the support of the El Instituto Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, I was able to center the lived experience of Latine₁ UConn undergraduate students and complete the first phase of data collection for my dissertation research. My dissertation focuses on acculturative stress, which refers to the stress that occurs when navigating competing cultural norms and identities, and its role in youth adjustment. Investigating the salience and role of cultural values is another important aspect of my dissertation. More specifically, I’m interested in the role of cultural values in the relationship between acculturative stress and adjustment.

To explore my research questions, I conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with twenty Latine students across UConn including Storrs, Hartford, Stamford and Waterbury campuses. The fellowship funds were used to provide incentives for participants and to support transcription costs. Recruitment was intentional to capture differences across campuses, especially given that the aforementioned regional campuses are designated as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) or an emerging-HSI, whereas the Storrs campus is a Predominantly White Institution. Students interviewed represented a wide range of identities, including male, female, and non-binary students, and had origins from over ten different Latin and Central American countries. These conversations offered rich insights into how students make sense of their cultural identities, the pressures they face as Latine university students, the sources of support they rely on, and the deep pride many feel in being Latine.

Although my analysis is still ongoing, several meaningful insights have already emerged. Students experienced acculturative stress in many different forms that included: language-related pressures, moments of not feeling “Latine enough”, fear of losing their families’ culture or language, and challenges related to belongingness. Others shared that they did not experience acculturative stress at all or mostly did when they were younger. The broader political climate also surfaced as a source of stress for many students, creating worry not only for themselves, but for their families as well.

Students also discussed the role of cultural values (e.g., familismo, respeto) in depth.  All students interviewed found the cultural values we discussed important to their lives whether it was through their family or values they endorsed individually. However, the way these values functioned varied widely. For example, familismo was often described as a powerful source of support during difficult times, yet it could also intensify pressures related to meeting family expectations. As one student described, familismo can feel like “a double-edged sword”, offering comfort while also heightening feelings of guilt, homesickness, or pressure to succeed for one’s family. Students also reflected on values such as machismo, marianismo, and respeto, noting how these could create rigid roles or expectations that sometimes conflicted with their personal values.

Campus context also matters to students. Differences emerged in how students navigate belongingness and find community at each campus, especially those who have attended multiple campuses. Despite differences, students across all campuses expressed appreciation for the community centers and organizations that exist to support Latine students.

Overall, my analysis so far reveals a nuanced picture of Latine students’ experience with acculturative stress and cultural values. Students are actively navigating who they are, and who they want to become, in addition to staying connected to family and completing academic responsibilities. Their experiences are shaped by campus environment, cultural values, and relationships. Importantly, students exhibited a proud Latine identity that helps them persevere, regardless of Spanish language proficiency or generation status.

My next steps involve using the interview data to help inform a survey that will capture a more representative understanding of what Latine college students are experiencing. These early findings have important implications for educators, researchers, and others working to support Latine students by affirming their identities and lived experiences. I am grateful to the UConn students who shared their stories with me and made this work meaningful and possible. Hearing and relating to their stories inspires me to keep going as a Latina in higher education and reaffirms my commitment to taking part in research and creating spaces that highlight our experiences. I look forward to presenting my findings to the El Instituto community once my analysis is complete and I am truly appreciative of the support provided through the fellowship.

 

1. “I use the term Latine as a gender-inclusive alternative to Latino and Latina that aligns more naturally with the Spanish language. I also recognize that individuals and communities may identify with other terms such as Latino/a, Latinx, Hispanic, Chicanx, or culturally specific identities (e.g., Mexican-American, Dominican, Maya K’iche).”

 

Contributed by Director Charles Rob Venator-Santiago 

In the case of Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo (September 8, 2025), a majority of the Supreme Court temporarily upheld the authority of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain and interrogate Latinos in California based on four criteria. Justice Sotomayor, in her dissenting opinion, noted, “Based on the evidence before it, the court held that the Government was stopping individuals based solely on four factors: (1) their apparent race or ethnicity; (2) whether they spoke Spanish or English with an accent; (3) the type of location where they were found (such as a car wash or bus stop); and (4) the type of job they appeared to do.”

Contributed by Director Charles Rob Venator-Santiago 

The UConn Puerto Rican Studies Initiative (UConnPRSI) was launched in the fall of 2022. Initially funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), it is now supported by the Connecticut General Assembly’s Puerto Rican and Latino Legislative Caucus. We are pleased to announce that we have secured funding for the next two years, from 2025 to 2027.

On 4 October 2025, we co-sponsored the second statewide 2nd annual Charting our Path: The Connecticut Latino Policy Agenda Summit at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, CT. The goal of this year’s summit was to anticipate the potential impact of federal funding cuts on Latinos in the state of Connecticut. Among the topics discussed in this forum were funding cuts for Medicaid, affordable housing, food insecurity, and immigration challenges in Connecticut. Upwards of 400 persons attended our meeting.

We are also happy to announce that the UConnPRSI is working with the CT Puerto Rican and Latino Legislative Caucus to sponsor the second Puerto Rico|Puerto Ricans in Connecticut annual public policy summit. This two-day conference will address various dimensions of Puerto Rican’s economic insecurity. Day one will provide an introduction to the Puerto Rican economy, and day two will focus on the economic insecurity of Puerto Ricans in Connecticut. The summit will be held at the Capitol (Friday, March 20, 2026) and the Legislative Office Building (Saturday, March 21, 2026) in Hartford, CT.

Contributed by Graduate Student Adrian Chavarria

This is a short synthesis of my understanding of this past weekend’s discussion on housing: The U.S. The Chamber of Commerce estimates a national 4.7 million home shortage.1 According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), 73% of extremely low-income renter households are severely cost-burdened.2 In addition, the NLIHC also highlights that in the State of Connecticut a household must earn $73,664 annually in order to pay 30% or less of their income in housing.3 The panelists highlighted that most working–class Latinos cannot reach this. They point out that Latino families face alienation, discrimination, and predatory practices in both rental and ownership markets. For example, new Latino landlords are often sold neglected properties, creating cycles of debt and poor housing conditions. The state as a whole is facing millions in cuts to already appropriated funding which is anticipated to severely disrupt ongoing community-based affordable housing development. 4 One could expect the state to step in and fill these gaps caused by federal cuts, however, State Representative Antonio Felipe emphasized that over 70% of Connecticut’s housing committee is composed of landlords or their lawyers, skewing legislation in their favor. Despite this, the house and senate passed HB 5002 “An Act Concerning Housing And The Needs Of Homeless Persons” which went on to be vetoed by Governor Ned Lamont which demonstrates the gap between policy need and political will. Policy recommendations exist, the question becomes, how can the legislature avoid another veto without compromising the effectiveness of the bill?

While this reflects my perspective on the policy recommendations provided by the panel, they are not officially endorsed by El Instituto or the summit organizers:

1. Implement Rent Stabilization and Cap Increases
   1. Why it matters: Without rent caps, renters face unaffordable and volatile increases (e.g.,30–80%).
   2. Policy Example: Adopt rent stabilization laws similar to CA or NY to protect tenants from excessive increases and promote housing stability.
2. Expand Community-Based Home ownership Programs
   1. Why it matters: There is no clear bridge from college graduation to home ownership for Latinos.
   2. Policy Example: Scale and better fund programs like “Time to Own” and provide grants—not just loans—to first-time buyers from historically underserved communities.
3. Invest Surplus and Rainy Day Funds into Affordable Housing at Scale
   1. Why it matters: State surpluses should be redirected to directly address structural housing deficits in marginalized communities.
   2. Policy Example: Fund large-scale, place-based neighborhood revitalization initiatives with housing, parks, transportation, and safety infrastructure.
4. Create Tenant and Small Landlord Protection Reforms
   1. Why it matters: Small Latino landlords need support, and tenants need better protections.
   2. Policy Example: Regulate AI-driven rent pricing, prohibit predatory property sales, and offer repair grants and tax incentives to small landlords committed to affordability and quality.
5. Democratize Housing Policy Governance
   1. Why it matters: Legislative bodies overrepresented by landlords cannot fairly legislate for renters.
   2. Policy Example: Establish independent housing equity commissions, increase

Panelists:
❖ Maribel La Cruz- CT Dept. of Housing
❖ Fernando Betancourt-The San Juan Center
❖ Wildaliz Bermudez-Executive Director of Fair Rent New Haven
Moderator: State Representative Antonio Felipe
Notetaker: Adrian Chavarria-UConn’s El Instituto

Closing thoughts:

Contributed by affiliate faculty Scott Wallace

Associate Professor of Journalism Scott Wallace’s memoir of images and text, Central America in the Crosshairs of War, has won the Foreword INDIES Best Book in Political & Social Sciences and a Gold IPPY Winner for Independent Publisher Book Awards for best History Book. Scott’s book is also an International Latino Book Awards finalist in two categories, Political/Current Events and History.

In July, Scott returned to Brazil’s Javari Valley Indigenous Territory, the setting for his bestselling book, The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon’s Last Uncontacted Tribes. His story about his return to the Javari for the first time in 23 years and the old friends he met there will appear in the October issue of Americas Quarterly.

Contributed by Graduate Student Lorraine Pérez

My research evaluates the interactions between birds and the parasites that affect them. Specifically, I get to study Darwin’s finch birds in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, and examine how urban vs. non-urban finch populations are affected by an invasive parasite that can cause up to 100% chick mortalities. For my thesis, I am interested in examining whether the behavior of finch parents influences the parasitism risk and survival of urban vs. non-urban chicks.

Between February-May 2025, I conducted field work in San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands along with my PI Sarah Knutie, Isabela Vargas (MS student at the University of Brussels), and Elizabeth Tituaña (field technician) (Fig. 1). During this time, we monitored the nests of small ground finches in the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and the rural site of Jardin de las Opuntias (Fig. 2). Most of the field work consisted of placing in-nest cameras to collect video footage on the behavior of finch parents (Fig. 3).

We successfully obtained footage from 11 non-urban nests and 9 urban nests, and currently, a group of undergraduate students (Hailey Wildman, Chuanmai Husu, and Gabriel Lee) and I are extracting behavioral data from these videos using BORIS software. I do not have preliminary results for my study yet (since I am still collecting data from the videos), but I plan to start statistical analysis in the late Fall.

Contributed by affiliate faculty Michele Back 

On September 5^th The Modern Language Journal released a special issue entitled “Critical Reflections on Colonial Pedagogies: Lessons Learned for Language Teacher Education.” The issue was co-edited by Michele Back (Associate Professor, World Language Education, Neag School of Education), Romina Peña-Pincheira (Gustavus Adolphus College), and Daniela Silva (University of Texas at San Antonio). The issue focuses on how language teacher education (LTE) can move away from harmful colonial traditions by examining language teaching practices shaped by colonial history and clarifying differences and overlaps between anti-racist, critical, and decolonial approaches in LTE. The issue also highlights the importance of valuing Indigenous knowledge and multiple ways of learning. Contributing authors used the framework of critical reflection (Liu 2015, Liu et al. 2024) to interrogate teaching methods, curriculum, and assessment.

Contributions came from established and emerging scholars in Norway, Canada, Peru, and the United States and examined LTE practices in several Latin American contexts, including Chile, Guatemala, Peru, and Mexico. Authors also looked at how indigenous languages and ways of knowing can be incorporated into Canadian LTE; incorporating critical reflection into courses for bilingual teacher candidates in the U.S.; and how world language teachers in the U.S. can leverage student home languages (translanguaging) in their classes. In all of the articles, contributors demonstrated how to expose colonial logics and imagine relational, justice-affirming approaches to LTE. Two invited commentaries offer next steps for the important work of decolonizing LTE through critical reflection.

A virtual launch event of the special issue on September 4^th attracted nearly 100 registrants from around the world, and a recording of the event is available for anyone interested in learning more. The special issue itself is available now at the Wiley Online Library website; four of the articles are open access.