group of latino studies students pose in front of colorful banner

Become a leader in your community

Community Resources

We've put together a list of campus, local, and national resources on harassment and discrimination, immigration, and wellness to support our community.

Find Resources

Professor Mirelsie Velázquez awarded OpEd Project Public Voices Fellowship

Mirelsie Velázquez, associate chair and associate professor of Latina/Latino studies, has been selected for the 2026-2027 OpEd Project Public Voices Fellowship. Read full story
LLS Graduate Minor Spotlight: Gerson Morales

Gerson Morales is a PhD candidate in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and a graduate minor in Latina/Latino studies. Read a Q&A with Morales to learn more about his research. Read full story
Trauma and healing in the classroom

Saraí Blanco Martinez co-authored new pedagogical research that identifies four key practices for creating a trauma-informed and healing-centered classroom. Read full story

Title

Why Study Latina/Latino Studies?

Professor Mirelsie Velázquez shares the value of the major, favorite spots in Champaign-Urbana, and why the Latina/Latino studies department is the best kept secret on campus in an interview with the College of LAS.

Apply Meet our Students Explore Career Paths

Highlighted Courses

Intro Latina/Latino Studies

Interdisciplinary introduction to the basis for a Latina/Latino ethnicity in the United States.

LLS 100

Latina/os on the Bronze Screen

Critical, historical, and theoretical exploration of Latina/o representations in U.S. film from the 1900s to the present. Examination of cinematic representations as well as the social, political, and cultural context in which those representations are produced.

LLS 250

Latinas/os & Public Policy

Examines the effectiveness of current U.S. public policies in addressing the social, economic, and political problems affecting Latina/o individuals and communities. Specifically, it evaluates current policy in the areas of public assistance, fair housing, criminal justice, immigration enforcement, and reproductive health.

LLS 368

Race, Medicine, and Society

Examine the historical significance of race through medicine. Specifically, it will be concerned with "race" as a central category in the medical construction and management of individuals and populations. Case studies might focus on colonial medicine, race and public health, sexuality and reproduction, global health disparities, and genetics and genomics.

LLS 479

Follow the Department of Latina/Latino Studies on social media for updates, photos, and more!

Facebook Instagram

Upcoming events

Alumni Spotlight

Carlos Saucedo ’15 – LVEC Postsecondary Manager, Little Village Education Collaborative, Enlace Chicago

Carlos Saucedo graduated with a double major in LLS and Sociology in 2015. Carlos manages the Little Village Education Collaborative's Postsecondary Team through Enlace Chicago. Before this, he worked at Upward Bound at Roosevelt University, supporting postsecondary planning for historically underrepresented youth in La Villita. While at UIUC, Carlos was president of Alpha Psi Lambda - Beta Chapter, participated in the Summer Research Opportunities Program at UIC, and was involved with retention programming at La Casa. Carlos has completed an AM in Social Service Administration at the...

Faculty Spotlight

Elena Guzman

Elena Guzman is an Afro-Boricua documentary filmmaker, educator, and anthropologist. She is currently writing her book manuscript tentatively titled, "Chimera Geographies: Spiritual Borderland Performances of the Afro-Caribbean," which focuses on the way Black women and non-binary people throughout the African diaspora use ritual performance in African diaspora religions.

Department of Latina/Latino Studies