Teaching Central America Represents at Central American Futurities 2.0
“For a weekend, Dartmouth is Central American,” exclaimed Teaching Central America advisor and Dartmouth College professor Dr. Jorge Cuellar at the opening of the Central American Futurities 2.0 Conference.
Building on the success of the first Central American Futurities Conference at Yale University, the students of the Central Americans United Student Association (CAUSA) along with Cuellar and co-sponsors led the second rendition of this conference to bring together multidisciplinary Central American scholars, artists, writers, and organizers from across the country. Former Teaching Central America intern and Dartmouth student Olvin Abrego Ayala was one of the CAUSA leaders behind this student-led conference that welcomed about 80 attendees for the weekend.
Artist and performer Dorian Wood welcomed attendees and opened the conference with her vocals. Keynote speaker and photojournalist Tomas Ayuso captivated the audience with heart-wrenching but deeply humanizing and intimate photography of Honduran and Central American migrants and communities.
Session 2: “Alternative Knowledges and Methods” (Panelists: Yvette Borja, Thelma Dietrich Rivera, Dr. Tanya Erazo, Jonathan Peraza Campos, moderated by Jose Alvarado)
On the “Alternative Knowledges and Methods” panel, Teaching for Change’s Teaching Central America program specialist Jonathan Peraza Campos shared the history and mission of Teaching Central America as well as the projects that Teaching Central America has developed to support teachers and schools in teaching Central American studies. Peraza Campos also shared his approach to an “ethnic studies of the South” and “guerilla pedagogy.”
Peraza Campos served on the panel alongside Radio Cachimbona’s Yvette Borja, University of California, Riverside anthropology graduate student Thelma Dietrich Rivera, and Liberate psychologist Dr. Tanya Erazo. Moderator and New York-based arts administrator Jose Alvarado connected the threads between the panelists to get at the heart of how counter-hegemonic strategies can pave a new way for Central American futures. Altogether, the panelists connected the threads between critical and liberatory education, decolonial psychological healing, Nicaraguan exile poetics and counter-storytelling, and abolitionist movement lawyering.
Many attendees were excited to see that Teaching Central America has developed resources and a network to promote Central American studies in K-12 classrooms across the country. Additionally, based on Peraza Campos’ research, attendees were intrigued to learn that Central Americans have built a home in the U.S. South largely due to intimate historical legacies between the U.S. South and Central America.
For the closing of the conference, beloved Honduran Garífuna singer and advocate Aurelio Martínez was commemorated posthumously. His nephew and bandmate, Derrick Martinez, along with DJ and music producer Trooko, Jose Alvarado, and Sofia Fugón reflected on the impact that Aurelio has had on Honduran music. The last night of the conference ended with a ceremony led by International Mayan League’s Juanita Cabrera Lopez and punta music performances by Martínez and Trooko.
Peraza Campos said, “This conference brought together Central Americans of different fields, passions, and geographies to reflect on how Central Americans can shape our future on our terms. The work of ethnic studies and Central American studies in K-16 education is how we contribute to building Central American futures with our youth. The conference showed me that we are not alone in that mission. The future feels bleak at times, but this conference reminded me that Central Americans will always build a way forward.”
Teaching Central America Represents at Central American Futurities 2.0
“For a weekend, Dartmouth is Central American,” exclaimed Teaching Central America advisor and Dartmouth College professor Dr. Jorge Cuellar at the opening of the Central American Futurities 2.0 Conference.
Building on the success of the first Central American Futurities Conference at Yale University, the students of the Central Americans United Student Association (CAUSA) along with Cuellar and co-sponsors led the second rendition of this conference to bring together multidisciplinary Central American scholars, artists, writers, and organizers from across the country. Former Teaching Central America intern and Dartmouth student Olvin Abrego Ayala was one of the CAUSA leaders behind this student-led conference that welcomed about 80 attendees for the weekend.
Artist and performer Dorian Wood welcomed attendees and opened the conference with her vocals. Keynote speaker and photojournalist Tomas Ayuso captivated the audience with heart-wrenching but deeply humanizing and intimate photography of Honduran and Central American migrants and communities.
Panels at the conference included
On the “Alternative Knowledges and Methods” panel, Teaching for Change’s Teaching Central America program specialist Jonathan Peraza Campos shared the history and mission of Teaching Central America as well as the projects that Teaching Central America has developed to support teachers and schools in teaching Central American studies. Peraza Campos also shared his approach to an “ethnic studies of the South” and “guerilla pedagogy.”
Peraza Campos served on the panel alongside Radio Cachimbona’s Yvette Borja, University of California, Riverside anthropology graduate student Thelma Dietrich Rivera, and Liberate psychologist Dr. Tanya Erazo. Moderator and New York-based arts administrator Jose Alvarado connected the threads between the panelists to get at the heart of how counter-hegemonic strategies can pave a new way for Central American futures. Altogether, the panelists connected the threads between critical and liberatory education, decolonial psychological healing, Nicaraguan exile poetics and counter-storytelling, and abolitionist movement lawyering.
Many attendees were excited to see that Teaching Central America has developed resources and a network to promote Central American studies in K-12 classrooms across the country. Additionally, based on Peraza Campos’ research, attendees were intrigued to learn that Central Americans have built a home in the U.S. South largely due to intimate historical legacies between the U.S. South and Central America.
For the closing of the conference, beloved Honduran Garífuna singer and advocate Aurelio Martínez was commemorated posthumously. His nephew and bandmate, Derrick Martinez, along with DJ and music producer Trooko, Jose Alvarado, and Sofia Fugón reflected on the impact that Aurelio has had on Honduran music. The last night of the conference ended with a ceremony led by International Mayan League’s Juanita Cabrera Lopez and punta music performances by Martínez and Trooko.
Peraza Campos said, “This conference brought together Central Americans of different fields, passions, and geographies to reflect on how Central Americans can shape our future on our terms. The work of ethnic studies and Central American studies in K-16 education is how we contribute to building Central American futures with our youth. The conference showed me that we are not alone in that mission. The future feels bleak at times, but this conference reminded me that Central Americans will always build a way forward.”
Posted: April 11, 2025