As a panelist in Vanderbilt University’s Then and Now series, I contributed to a discussion on the historical and cultural presence of Nashville’s Latinx community. Curated and moderated by Dr. André L. Churchwell, Senior Advisor on Inclusion and Community Outreach, this series examined the city’s evolving diversity through historical analysis and community narratives. By amplifying Latinx voices and experiences, this dialogue fostered a deeper understanding of the community’s contributions and challenges within Nashville’s rapidly changing landscape.
ContArte Latinoamérica (CAL) is a project I created in collaboration with the Digital Humanities Center at Vanderbilt as part of my work as a Mellon fellow for the Digital Humanities. This searchable database showcases selected artworks by Latinx artists and continues to expand to represent a broader range of voices. Under the CAL umbrella, I have developed a series of interdisciplinary workshops that integrate literature and creative writing with various forms of artistic expression, fostering dialogue and engagement across cultural and artistic communities.
HEART: Unifying Communities through Language and Textile Art is a community-driven, interdisciplinary, and trans-institutional workshop that connects Spanish creative writing, literature, and textile art. Designed to foster empowerment and self-development, HEART provides Latinx community members with a space for artistic expression, cultural affirmation, and collective storytelling. To support this initiative, I received funding from the Mellon Partners in Humanities Education, as well as a fellowship from the Curb Center.
Learn more about this project in VU News "The Heart and Art of Language."
As part of my commitment to creating and promoting more equitable spaces for the Latinx community, I collaborated with Vanderbilt University’s Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies (CLACX) and the Frist Art Museum’s educational team. Together, we organized Spanish-language talks to enhance accessibility for the Hispanic/Latinx community and foster a more inclusive museum experience. Additionally, we recorded a series of guided audio tours in Spanish, expanding opportunities for artistic appreciation and cultural exploration. Through these initiatives, we ensured that a broader audience could engage with the arts, strengthening cultural connections and promoting a more inclusive and diverse community in Nashville.
As a collaborator with Vanderbilt University School of Law's Immigration Practice Clinic (IPC), I provided translation services to support Nashville’s Latinx community. The IPC represents vulnerable, low-income immigrants in humanitarian immigration cases before immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and federal courts. Through this work, I contributed to bridging language barriers, ensuring greater access to legal resources, and supporting the rights of Latinx immigrants navigating complex legal processes.
As a member of the CHICOS team during Trump’s first presidential term, I worked with Nashville’s Latinx community to conduct surveys and collect health measurements, contributing to a data pool on stress and its impact on immigrant communities. This experience deepened my understanding of the challenges Latinx immigrants faced in an era of heightened uncertainty while also highlighting the significance of material culture and spirituality in Latin American communities. Through CHICOS, I engaged in community-based research that underscored the intersection of health, identity, and cultural resilience.