Latin American & Latino Studies
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Ethan van Thillo: From student film festival to a cultural institution
Ethan van Thillo (Merrill ’92, Latin American and Latino studies) founded the first-ever Chicano Film Festival at UC Santa Cruz, the first San Diego Latino Film Festival, and San Diego-based nonprofit Media Arts Center San Diego.
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Collaborating to support youth leadership and voice
2026 Youth & Adult Partnership Summit promotes strategies for working effectively with youth, supported by UC Santa Cruz, United Way, and All Children Thrive.
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Alumna María Ramos Bracamontes champions indigenous farmworker health and justice
María Ascención Ramos Bracamontes (Merrill ’02, language studies and Latino American and Latino studies) is a certified midwife, community activist, and founder of mutual aid organization Campesina Womb Justice, advocating and supporting farmworker women’s health.
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Social Sciences Division honors student awardees at annual luncheon
On June 5 at the Cowell Ranch Historic Hay Barn, the Division of Social Sciences hosted its annual student awards luncheon to honor and recognize changemakers making a difference through their academic and research excellence.
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Learning from Dolores Huerta’s legacy
New K-12 lesson plans support comprehensive history understanding by bringing Huerta’s life story into California classrooms
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Helping health care providers navigate social, political, and legal barriers to patient care
A new case study in “The Lancet” offers tips for health system leaders on how and when to call in outside resources and organizations
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Social Sciences faculty and staff honored at annual Fall Breakfast
Interim Dean of the Social Sciences Division, Herbie Lee, along with committees of staff and faculty, presented awards to three faculty members and one staff member for their commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service.
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Scheduling smarter: Combining technology and policy for more pleasant, equitable commuting
As housing costs push workers farther from their jobs, UCSC researchers are developing smart scheduling technology to ease commutes and reduce traffic in Santa Cruz. By combining real-time data, public policy, and community input, the project aims to create a more equitable and sustainable public transportation system.
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Breaking barriers and guiding others
As an outreach specialist with UC Santa Cruz’s Underground Scholars Program, Sammy Chavez (Rachel Carson ’25, Latin American and Latino studies and sociology) supports students navigating complex challenges in higher education. While completing his own degree, he was recognized with the Silver Slug Scholarship as a staff member pursuing his studies.
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Lessons from a historic quest to heal spider bites are helping to fight neglected tropical diseases today
Associate Professor Lily Balloffet’s latest research traces successful early efforts to produce new antivenoms in Latin America and explores implications for modern public health issues, like snakebite and Chagas disease
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UCSC alumnus featured in latest episode of “Leguizamo Does America” on MSNBC and Peacock
Dr. Rafael Enrique Delgadillo (Ph.D. ’24, Latin American and Latino Studies) is featured in the latest episode of Leguizamo Does America on MSNBC and Peacock.
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Can oil extraction fuel sustainable development in Guyana? Beware the resource curse.
Environmental studies and Latin American and Latino studies major Chris Mathura won the dean’s award for his research examining early impacts of oil drilling off the coast of Guyana in South America.