On Friday, May 16th, UConn Early College Experience and the faculty from Latino and Latin American Studies (LLAS) welcomed certified ECE LLAS instructors to their annual professional development conference, held at the UConn Hartford campus in the Hartford Times Building. This year’s theme, “Contextualizing the Present in the Past: Lessons from Latin America to Help Us Understand Today’s World,” invited participants to reflect on how historical patterns in Latin America—such as authoritarianism, populism, and censorship—can help illuminate current global political challenges.
The day began with program updates, followed by a compelling presentation from Dr. Rodolfo Fernandez, Assistant Professor in Residence, El Instituto who explored how Latin American history offers critical insights into contemporary threats to democracy and the ways individuals have historically resisted them. After lunch, ECE Instructor Bonnie Nietupski presented “Digital Humanities: Empowering Students to Explore and Compare Justice & Law, Memory & Hope in Latin America,” highlighting innovative approaches to student engagement and research. The afternoon concluded with a collaborative session on teaching in times of fear and the role of emerging technologies like ChatGPT. Instructors shared strategies for navigating challenging classroom discussions while equipping students with the tools to connect past and present. The conference offered valuable perspectives, practical resources, and a renewed sense of purpose for educators teaching at the intersection of history, politics, and social justice.
