On Sept. 24-25, 2025, Chen-López’s two-day visit invited students to reflect on their understanding of Latin American identity and migration as he shared his innovative research on the representation of Chinese communities in Latin American literature, cinema, and visual arts, which is a topic that opened new perspectives for students and community members across multiple disciplines.

Chen-López’s keynote address, “Affective Mapping: Tracing the Chinese Diaspora in Latin American Literature, Cinema, and Visual Arts,” examined how Chinese identity and history are portrayed in creative works throughout different Latin American countries: Mexico, Costa Rica, and Argentina. His work traces how emotional responses to Chinatowns and Chinese neighborhoods have evolved over time and explores how the very concepts of “China” and “Chineseness” have shifted in response to changing geopolitical dynamics.

The visit extended far beyond a single lecture. Chen-López engaged directly with students in various courses in the classrooms and in El Centro, including “Human Migrations”, “Medical Spanish”, “Growing Up in the Spanish Speaking World”, “In Search of Identity, Innovation and Social Protest Theater”, and COR1100. He also met with student members from the Latin American Studies program, the Spanish Club, and the Chinese Club during a community breakfast, fostering cross-cultural dialogue.

For many students, the presentations sparked revelations about migration patterns they had never considered. Anette Cruz ’28, reflected on how the experience transformed their perspective

“Previously when thinking about migration to Latin American countries it never really came to my head to think about countries like China,” said Cruz. “When I would think about migration, I would think it was mostly within Latin American regions. But after learning about the impact Chinese migration has had on countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Argentina, it really made me think about the significance of it. I was able to see that through symbolism shown to me in Mexican readings, Argentinian movies and Costa Rican paintings, and to me I found that very interesting because again, I feel as if I would have overlooked that if I was presented with it. Overall Chinese diaspora in Latin American countries shown through historical contexts and symbolism in art is something new that I learned today, something that has opened my eyes a little more when talking about migration to Latin American countries.”

Chen-López’s interdisciplinary approach demonstrated how overlooked communities have shaped Latin American culture in profound ways. By examining representations of “China” and “Chineseness” in Latin American art, literature, and film, he sparked a dialogue among students and the broader �þ��� community on the importance of interdisciplinary research and looking beyond dominant narratives to discover the multiple histories of a society.

The Latin American Research Series is presented by Latin American Studies and sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures; Peace and Conflict Studies; El Centro; International and Global Studies; Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; the Department of Philosophy; and Global Films and Cultures.

It was an exciting afternoon as they had three guests, Jesús Garrido, Aida López, and Jesús Leonardo, who would teach them how to cook a popular Venezuelan dish: the reina pepiada. The reina pepiada is an arepa (a cornmeal cake popular in Venezuela, Colombia, and other countries of South America) with a specific filling mainly consisting of chicken, crushed avocado, and mayonnaise. It is said that the name of this arepa was given in honor of Susana Duijm, who was crowned as Miss World in 1955 and became the first Venezuelan and Latin American to win the pageant. Today, the reina pepiada is enjoyed by many around the world, and students of SPN 3150 had the opportunity to learn how to make and enjoy their reina pepiada.

During the class, students engaged in a culinary demonstration completely in Spanish. They prepared the filling, each completing a different task, and formed their arepas. While waiting for the arepas to cook, students sat down for a brief Q&A session with Garrido and López to discuss the current situation in Venezuela, the millions of Venezuelans who had to leave the country, and the complicated immigration processes they experienced.

“We had the opportunity to learn about the immigration process and their lives as Venezuelans, immigrants, and citizens seeking political asylum. The most interesting part though was the medium through which we learned all this. We made Venezuelan arepas in the kitchen. We got to help prepare the food and eat everything like a big family dinner!” said Ava Aanestad, a Spanish minor student.

Gaby Scales ’27 also added, “I had a great time in class today and I am so grateful for the unique opportunity to be able to engage directly with people directly affected by the crisis in Venezuela. I learned about Venezuelan history and complexities and challenges faced by some refugees and immigrants.”

Overall, the class provided students the opportunity to challenge their language skills with native speakers of Spanish, directly engage with Venezuelan culture through a culinary experience and learn about relevant issues of the Spanish-speaking world and the United States.