The Thomas Jay Harris Institute for Hispanic & International Communication at Texas Tech hosted the 10th annual Hispanic/Latinx Research & Creativity Symposium Tuesday.
The symposium included 10 presentation events throughout the day with speakers from Tech, outside universities and graduate programs. Topics ranged from art discussions to scientific research strategies.
Kent Wilkinson, a journalism and creative media industries professor and director of the Thomas Jay Harris Institute for Hispanic and International Communication, said the symposium was created when Tech approached Hispanic Serving Institution status 10 years ago.
“We wanted to get people on campus who were doing work on Hispanic, Latino populations together to know what work is being done on campus, and perhaps to collaborate and to go after grants,” Wilkinson said.
Attendees look at the screen during the teaching strategies to affirm Latinx students panel on the second floor of the College of Media and Communications building April 15, 2025.
Wilkinson said he was pleased to see a number of staff members at the event, especially members of the Latino Hispanic Faculty and Staff Association. He said it is important for the Harris Institute to build a relationship with the faculty and Hispanic Latino community.
“Of course, it is really important for us to have the students and staff involved as well,” Wilkinson said.
There has been a decent turnout over the last few years as a result of word getting out and some members presenting consistently throughout the years, Wilkinson said.
Vinodh Venkatesh, a Spanish professor in Modern and Classical Languages and Literature at Virginia Tech University, hosted the midday keynote address at the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center. Venkatesh was invited as the Tech Humanities Center Spring 2025 Scholar-in-Residence to share his knowledge and experience while engaging in research.
Venkatesh’s address was titled “Es un pájaro, es in avíon: The Twenty-First Century Animated Mexican Superhero.” The name translates to “It’s a bird, it’s a plane.”
The presentation focused on Mexican superheroes in contemporary media, mostly in animation. Venkatesh highlighted superheroes such as El Santo and El Chapulín Colorado in Mexican popular culture.
Cordelia Barrera, an associate professor of English specializing in Latinx literature and the American Southwest, has presented the last two years and also presented on Tuesday.
Barrera’s presentation was titled “Portrait of a Chicana artist: Gloria Anzaldua” and was about her contribution to the book “Chicana Portraits.” Barrera contributed a chapter to the book about Gloria Anzaldua and her works in Chicana feminism.
“I am going to be talking about the book and why it is a little different because it has got these cool portraits, but each portrait that was painted for the book is followed by a biography from 12 very important Chicana scholars,” Barrera said.
The sign for the Thomas Jay Harris Institute for Hispanic and International Communication center is written on the glass of the door on the second floor of the College of Media and Communications building April 15, 2025.
Barrera said she tries to make it to the conference every year because it is always a great experience to hear from speakers and their connections to the Latinx community.
At the afternoon panel, the award winners for the undergraduate Orgullo y Poder art and Hispanic Serving Institution Essay contests were announced.
Winners of the Orgullo y Poder art contest were “Resplendent” by Lucero Guzman in third place, “We The People — Baile Folklorico Barbies” by Liliana Villeges in second place and “Dejando Huella/Leaving Your Mark — The story of Emma Eivers” by Omar Cantero in first place.
Winners of the HSI Essay Contest were “Untitled Essay” by Jajaea Pedregon in third place, “We the People: Finding Home at an HSI” by Israel Reyes in second place and “Embracing Diversity: Finding home at an Hispanic Serving Institution” by Rashika Vatz in first place.
Lucero Guzman, a junior digital media and professional communications student from Mesquite, said she submitted a two-part work with an art piece and a piece of prose poetry. She said “Resplendent” is centered on what it’s like to not have a traditional Hispanic family.
“I am super proud of being Hispanic, but sometimes, with my family, it is a little hard,” Guzman said. “So, I guess getting third place is really nice because it is an acknowledgement that it is okay to not feel like the perfect Hispanic, which was really important to me.”
