In Spring 2024, the Rhode Island College Foundation and Rhode Island Latino Arts (RILA) provided financial support ($3,000 from each institution) to fund four paid internships for RIC undergraduate students. The interns were supervised by Executive Director of RILA Marta Martínez, who worked in collaboration with RIC Associate Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies David Ramírez.
“The Foundation is thrilled to be able to support this internship,” says Joyce Stevos ’65, ’97,’05, immediate past president of the Rhode Island College Foundation. “We felt that this was especially important as the college continues its designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution. As a faculty member, I’m fortunate to witness firsthand how significant our Hispanic and Latiné students are to the vibrancy of our campus life. Supporting programs that highlight Latiné students, alumni and their supporters is essential.”
The four interns are Jacki Estrada, art history major (second from left in photo); Luis López, nursing major (third from left in photo); Jennifer González, world languages education major (fourth from left in photo); and Gwen Vargas, social work major. RIC student Jasmine Lara, art history major (first from left in photo) worked on the project as an independent study.
“They met weekly at RIC Special Collections or Rhode Island Latino Arts to learn best practices in oral history and to perform archival work under the supervision of Marta Martínez,” says Ramirez.
For seven months (April to October), working with Martínez, the students curated an art exhibit that Martínez was organizing to highlight the archives of Latino oral histories collected by RILA since the 1990s as part of its project “Nuestras Raíces.” The art exhibit launched at RIC’s Adams Library on Oct. 9 and runs through May 1, 2025.
Titled “A Story, A Face: The Latino History of Rhode Island in 25 Portraits,” the exhibit drew Latino leaders and government officials at the opening – Central Falls Mayor María Rivera, Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos and Providence City Councilor Miguel Sánchez.
According to Ramírez, “These 25 portraits are in our library not as objects to be contemplated but as the living faces of Latina and Latino bakers, social activists, doctors, politicians, mill workers, nurses, bodega owners, teachers and a prominent group of RIC alumni.”
González, a first-generation Guatemalan American, says her internship was an incredible opportunity that allowed her to connect with her heritage, community and Latino roots here in Rhode Island.
“Our voice, our story and our history matter,” she says. “I hope this project raises awareness in the academic world and inspires future generations to make a positive impact. Through this exhibit, I want people to know that Latinos are and will continue to be a part of Rhode Island’s history.”
For Estrada, listening to other Latinos tell her how they perceive the world and how their journeys formed them opened her eyes. Following her internship, Estrada continues to work on a volunteer basis at RILA assisting Martinez with the archives and transcriptions.
“Our state is a hidden gem, with great people,” she says. “In Rhode Island we have lots of organizations founded by Latinos, but we don’t know who started them and how they brought people together to help others. A lot of the younger generations don’t know about the influence Latinos have had.”
Martínez adds, “The educational system in the United States doesn’t do enough to teach Latino studies. Often Hispanic Heritage Month is the only opportunity for any student to learn about Latino history. The people of Latin American descent or Latin American Americans have made measurable differences in Rhode Island, their communities and their respective industries. I encourage all Latino American Rhode Islanders to share their own stories, because if we don’t tell our own stories, someone else will.”
“I hope everyone at RIC, and especially our students, will engage in a dialogue with the many stories these portraits tell,” says Ramirez. “I hope we can see their voices and celebrate through them the presence of all Latinos at the heart of our campus.”
