CSU Pueblo Explores Language and Identity at 4th Annual Aztlán Summer Institute

Pueblo, COLO - Colorado State University Pueblo invites students, faculty, staff, and community members to the 4th Annual Aztlán Research Center Summer Institute on July 29, 2024. This year's theme is "Language and Identity through the Lens of a Hispanic Serving Institution."

The one-day workshop will delve into the relationship between language and identity and its use in Southern Colorado while drawing from the experiences of Hispanic communities. Attendees have the chance to obtain insights into the Spanish language's presence in the region, including linguistic and rhetorical perspectives from native speakers, descendants of Spanish speakers, and classroom learners.

"As a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), we have an extraordinary opportunity and profound responsibility to empower and celebrate heritage language learners on our campus and in our communities," said Dr. Alegria Ribadeneira, keynote speaker, professor, and director of world languages at CSU Pueblo. "This institute allows us to explore identity through the lens of language in a region with deep Latino roots."

Highlights of the program include:

• Keynote addresses by scholars on Hispanic linguistic identity and "linguistic servingness”, the institutional infrastructure in place for serving students of HSIs, whose needs are different from traditional collegegoers.
• A student panel discussion on language and identity.
• Readings and discussions of Spanish poetry and storytelling from Southern Colorado and New Mexico.
• Professional development for CSU Pueblo faculty and staff.

The event is free and open to the public, with complimentary breakfast and lunch provided. It is supported by the CSU Pueblo Library and Office of Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives.

“Our intention is to serve CSU Pueblo’s goal to be a premiere Hispanic Serving Institution and invite members of the community to join us as we explore how Spanish is spoken and used in Southern Colorado. and hear the poetry and storytelling from the region," said Rhonda Gonzales Manzanares, organizer and CSU Pueblo’s dean of library services. "Hearing poetry and storytelling is often a rare treat for some native- and acquired-Spanish speakers. This is a space where we learn about our communities’ experiences with the Spanish language, especially for those who speak it as a native tongue.

Registration is now open at csupueblo.edu. For more details, please email Rhonda Gonzales Manzanares at rhonda.gonzales@csupueblo.edu 

The Aztlán Research Center is dedicated to the study of Chicanx, Latinx and Indigenous Peoples and Environments of the Southwest. This Center sponsors research, lectures, and events, as well as community outreach. Named after the homeland of the Aztec empire, the Aztlán Research Center honors the city of Pueblo’s history as the gateway to the Southwest and the indigenous people of the region.