Our new program director, Dr. Paloma Martinez-Cruz, welcomes us in the new academic year with the following message: 

"I'm excited to be joining the Center for Ethnic Studies this year as the new Program Director of Latina/o Studies! As I think about how to structure our development in a way that is consistent with the transformative project of Latinx studies, I take inspiration from the late Rubén Castilla Herrera (1957-2019) who catalyzed shared models of Latinx leadership in Ohio for the better part of 20 years. In the late aughts, he helped found the Ohio Action Circle to develop open, deliberate conversation to address and confront anti-immigration sentiment, the dehumanization and criminalization of immigrants, and manifestations of racial injustice throughout the City of Columbus and beyond. Taking a page from Herrera's play book, I'm calling the Latina/o Studies Program steering committee the Latinx Action Circle, and its members this academic year are Inés Valdez, Leila Vieira, César García Hernández, and Nancy Mendoza.     

In the 2022-2023 academic year, the Center for Ethnic Studies received approval for the hiring of THREE Latinx studies professionals. Each of these hires will be shared 50/50 between CES and the departments of English, Spanish & Portuguese, and Art History. The Action Circle, and all faculty involved with Latinx studies at OSU, will have a major role in the recruitment and onboarding of these new colleagues. We will be the ones telling the top candidates the story of who we are, why we are here, and what Latina/o Studies at The Ohio State University can and should be. This is a serious roll call moment for Latinx scholarship at OSU, and I'm eager to work with all of the colleagues, staff, students, administrators, and community members who bring sincere commitment to the call."