A word from the Chair

The UW program on Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) is holding its 2018 fundraising gala on November 10, 2018. We invite you to support a very special dinner featuring University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce and Seattle City Councilmember and LACS Alumna Teresa Mosqueda that will celebrate Saberes sin fronteras: 25 years of Knowledge Without Borders. As we see the heartbreaking effects of a border policy based on a poor understanding of the forces that fuel migration, it is more urgent than ever to invest in the kind of deep, comprehensive, and compassionate understanding of the Americas that has always been at the heart of LACS at the UW.

The moment could not be more crucial for us. With a growing number of students, including first-generation and undocumented students, and shrinking university budgets, our program is at a critical point. Although our budget is the smallest of any program or center in International Studies, we remain optimistic because we know that the real source of our wealth is in our relations with undergraduate students, graduate students, alumni and the broader community. In thinking about these relations, we realize that we can find new and innovative ways to connect campus and community and find new opportunities for investing in more inclusive vision of the Americas.

To that end, this fundraising event will help support the next twenty-five years of knowledge without borders. Just this year, our students, faculty and community partners have come together to generate ideas for addressing the challenges that came with storms in the Caribbean, earthquakes in Mexico and mudslides in Peru, and an increasingly aggressive immigration policy that has resulted in the detention of many people including UW students. In these conversations, we have identified three activities that this campaign will support:

• Support student work with community organizations in Seattle and beyond, generating real-world experience for students and bridging the gap between campus and community;
• Create a new LACS student “task force” seminar in which students will generate policy solutions to urgent challenges facing our communities; and
• Launch a new graduate certificate and training program in LACS that will help generate community-relevant expertise among graduate students.

The Saberes sin fronteras/Knowledge without Borders Gala provides a unique opportunity to partner with the University of Washington, the preeminent research and education institution in our community. Sponsorship levels and Table Purchases are outlined here. We are grateful for your consideration and support.

In solidarity and gratitude,

Tony Lucero, Chair of Latin American and Caribbean Studies