On Monday, May 20th. UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Latino and Latin American Studies, Prof. Anne Gebelein, met with a group of 20 UConn ECE certified LLAS 1190: Introduction to Latin America and the Caribbean Instructors for a professional development workshop on the Hartford campus. The day included a presentation and discussion with special guest Lorenzo Martinez Ruiz about challenges to indigenous sovereignty in Nicaragua.

Lorenzo Martinez Ruiz is an indigenous leader of the Rama-Kriol peoples in southeastern Nicaragua, Lorenzo Martinez Ruiz, who helped unpack the two biggest issues for indigenous today: sovereignty and land rights. Lorenzo has been an activist for indigenous rights, whose community was involved in an InterAmerican Court case in which the Nicaraguan government was required to give the indigenous of the zone land titles. However, the government has ignored the many illegal settlers that have been encroaching and clearcutting the land to create cattle ranches; the indigenous have been documenting these breaches to prepare for a future return to the courts. In the meantime, Nicaraguan politician, Daniel Ortega banned Lorenzo from the country and stripped him of his citizenship. Lorenzo currently resides in Manchester, CT and he has applied for asylum.

After lunch the group discussed teaching indigenous studies today and later ECE Instructor Elise Weisenbach (Branford High School) led a discussion on college teaching challenges in the high school setting.

UConn LLAS courses offered through ECE.