The Stanford Society for Latin American Politics Bridges the International and Domestic Communities
Before college, Luciana Bridges, 25, spent 17 years in Lima, Peru, followed by a year in New Orleans to complete her 12th grade. During this gap year, she returned to Lima to help her peers apply to colleges. When she arrived at Stanford, she was surprised by the differences between international and domestic Latinos. She said that these differences can be attributed to socioeconomic and language barriers, which lead international students to pursue different academic and extracurricular activities. Bridges also noted that most international Latinos do not receive financial aid, while domestic Latino students often come from lower-income backgrounds.
Many international Latino students also grow up speaking Spanish. She said this is not necessarily the case for domestic Latino students, and it can lead to "gatekeeping" around who is truly Latino if they do not speak the language.
Seeing this disconnect, Tara Hein '23 and Thay Graciano '24 M.A.'24 founded the Stanford Society for Latin American Politics (SSLAP) in 2021. They aim to connect international and domestic Latino students through events, partnerships, and educational opportunities. SSLAP is an affiliate of the Center for Latin American Studies and provides students with a multidisciplinary academic space where they can explore the social, economic, and political forces shaping Latin America through conversations with faculty and public figures. Past speakers have included Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Former Uruguayan President José Mujica.
"International students from Latin America really yearn to create space for conversation about politics in the region," said SSLAP President Isamar Marte Nuñez '26, who is from the Dominican Republic. "Having this academic space opens people's perspectives on how to envision a more globalized world."
SSLAP also organized a screening of Latin American films and panel discussions with scholars studying Latin American issues to spark nuanced discussion on Latin American politics. This year, the club aims to establish a book club to analyze and discuss classic books about Latin American culture and politics, focusing on the Latin American boom - a literary movement in the 1960s and 70s that brought Latin American authors to the world.
"It is not nice to hear about suffering in Latin America, but it is important to educate others as well as yourself," said Karen Medina Aparicio '27, from Puerto Rico.
The SSLAP members said that Latin American history, shaped by a legacy of colonialism, imperialism and foreign intervention, offers a wide range of lessons in democracy, development, and peace-building. In the last decade, the region has attracted foreign investment and fostered innovation that has strengthened areas of the economy, including the digital sector, technology, infrastructure, and healthcare. However, the region still faces challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, migration, corruption, authoritarianism, and democratic backsliding. Juliana Lamm-Perez, ’25 SSLAP's financial officer who grew up in the Bay Area, often visits her extended family in Guatemala, said that the organization allows her to interact with a diverse group of students from Latin America. "Befriending and learning about international Latino people has been very valuable, and this is one of the reasons I wanted to become more involved with SSLAP," said Lamm Perez.
Fostering such a community is at the heart of several SSLAP initiatives, including partnerships with El Centro, the Chicano and Latino Student Center. Members have promoted events through various student groups, including Stanford Latino and Hermana.
"SSLAP is highly advertised for the whole Stanford community," said Bridges, who oversees community partnerships and communication. She said that the club welcomes everyone interested in Latin American politics. "There are people from both communities who want a closer relationship," she said. Lamm-Pérez said that SSLAP aims to encourage U.S. Latinos to engage with Latin American politics, "We want these two groups to interact more and understand they are fighting for the same goal."
01/10/2024
Many international Latino students also grow up speaking Spanish. She said this is not necessarily the case for domestic Latino students, and it can lead to "gatekeeping" around who is truly Latino if they do not speak the language.
Seeing this disconnect, Tara Hein '23 and Thay Graciano '24 M.A.'24 founded the Stanford Society for Latin American Politics (SSLAP) in 2021. They aim to connect international and domestic Latino students through events, partnerships, and educational opportunities. SSLAP is an affiliate of the Center for Latin American Studies and provides students with a multidisciplinary academic space where they can explore the social, economic, and political forces shaping Latin America through conversations with faculty and public figures. Past speakers have included Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Former Uruguayan President José Mujica.
"International students from Latin America really yearn to create space for conversation about politics in the region," said SSLAP President Isamar Marte Nuñez '26, who is from the Dominican Republic. "Having this academic space opens people's perspectives on how to envision a more globalized world."
SSLAP also organized a screening of Latin American films and panel discussions with scholars studying Latin American issues to spark nuanced discussion on Latin American politics. This year, the club aims to establish a book club to analyze and discuss classic books about Latin American culture and politics, focusing on the Latin American boom - a literary movement in the 1960s and 70s that brought Latin American authors to the world.
"It is not nice to hear about suffering in Latin America, but it is important to educate others as well as yourself," said Karen Medina Aparicio '27, from Puerto Rico.
The SSLAP members said that Latin American history, shaped by a legacy of colonialism, imperialism and foreign intervention, offers a wide range of lessons in democracy, development, and peace-building. In the last decade, the region has attracted foreign investment and fostered innovation that has strengthened areas of the economy, including the digital sector, technology, infrastructure, and healthcare. However, the region still faces challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, migration, corruption, authoritarianism, and democratic backsliding. Juliana Lamm-Perez, ’25 SSLAP's financial officer who grew up in the Bay Area, often visits her extended family in Guatemala, said that the organization allows her to interact with a diverse group of students from Latin America. "Befriending and learning about international Latino people has been very valuable, and this is one of the reasons I wanted to become more involved with SSLAP," said Lamm Perez.
Fostering such a community is at the heart of several SSLAP initiatives, including partnerships with El Centro, the Chicano and Latino Student Center. Members have promoted events through various student groups, including Stanford Latino and Hermana.
"SSLAP is highly advertised for the whole Stanford community," said Bridges, who oversees community partnerships and communication. She said that the club welcomes everyone interested in Latin American politics. "There are people from both communities who want a closer relationship," she said. Lamm-Pérez said that SSLAP aims to encourage U.S. Latinos to engage with Latin American politics, "We want these two groups to interact more and understand they are fighting for the same goal."
01/10/2024