Wisconsin Latinx History Collective
Let's tell our
Latinx Story
Join us to collect and celebrate Latinx history in our region.
Latinx communities have a rich history in Northeast Wisconsin. As we strive to be a Hispanic-serving institution, UW-Green Bay is on a pathway to partnership with the Wisconsin Latinx History Collective (WLHC) to support recording oral history honor Latinx contributions, victories and leadership. Participate in a two-day kick-off event as we seek to join the WLHC initiative.
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 • The Weidner
1 - 2:30 p.m.
Keynote: Emerging Spaces for Latinx in Wisconsin: The Cradle of New Leaders
Andrea-Teresa “Tess” Arenas, Wisconsin Latinx History Collective
Nationally award-winning Chicana poet, author and highly accomplished Latinx community advocate Tess Arenas is coming back to Northeast Wisconsin to introduce the community to the Wisconsin Latinx History Collective, an exciting initiative to document Wisconsin’s Latinx people, businesses and events through 2030. Her presentation “Emerging spaces for Latinx in Wisconsin: The Cradle of New Leaders” will highlight stories of Latinx with connections to rural Wis (and urban) as examples of new leaders, as well as the need to develop meaningful community connections with Latinx which honor their contributions, victories and leadership through the collection of Latinx oral histories across Wisconsin. The collective is extremely interested in collecting these stories from Northeast Wisconsin.
2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Reception
3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Student Roundtable
Discuss UW-Green Bay students' participation in the Wisconsin Latinx History Collective.
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 • 1965 Room, University Union
In day two of this event, we'll meet to determine a pathway to participation through collection of oral histories from Latinx people in this community and region. These sessions will be moderated by UW-Green Bay Vice Chancellor for Advancement, Community Engagement & Inclusivity Dawn Crim.
9 - 10 a.m.
Community Roundtable
From inspiration to action, this session brings together leaders from our region to discuss ideas for engaging with and collecting the vibrant oral histories of the Latinx people in Northeast Wisconsin.
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Faculty & Staff Roundtable
Discuss UW-Green Bay's participation in the Wisconsin Latinx History Collective.
What is the WLHC?
Wisconsin Latinx History Collective
The Wisconsin Latinx History Collective is an unprecedented network of researchers and their organizational partners. It is dedicated to “retro-fitting” Latinxs within Wisconsin’s history.
Collecting Histories
Together, let's celebrate the full spectrum of Wisconsin's history. By partnering with the WLHC, we commit to:
Celebrating Latinx
Celebrating the contributions of Latinx communities in Northeast Wisconsin, past and present.
Filling Gaps in History
Addressing historical gaps and ensuring a more inclusive understanding of our region's story.
Serving Latinx Learners
Supporting UW-Green Bay's journey toward becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).
Keynote Speaker Biography: Tess Arenas
Somos Latinas: Voices of Wisconsin Latina Activists,
co-edited by Andrea-Teresa Arenas & Eloisa Gómez
Andrea-Teresa “Tess” Arenas, an award-winning Chicana poet has been engaged in communities of color for over 40 years as an activist, policy maker and college instructor. Arenas is from a low-income family, the daughter of an undocumented parent, and a first-generation college graduate. Arenas considers herself a late bloomer because she started college at age 30 and eventually earned her Ph.D. from UW-Madison.
Arenas is a founding member of the Latina Task Force, Justice for Daisy Mendez, and Wisconsin Hispanic Council on Higher Education which worked to have the first Latinx Board of Regents member, Ness Flores (former migrant worker) in 1980’s.
Arenas served as Assistant Vice President of Academic Diversity and Development at Universities of Wisconsin for nearly 20 years and led the System and campuses in creating Plan 2008: Educational Excellence through Race/Ethnic Diversity. In 2005, Arenas joined UW-Madison as Director of the College of Letters and Science’s Office of Service Learning and Community-based Research and Chicanx Latinx Studies, (CLS) faculty affiliate. Arenas embedded Service Learning or Community-based Research projects in all her courses and connected students to over 60 projects across the state in multiple race/ethnic communities.
While at UW-Madison, Arenas created the Somos Latinas Digital History Project of Wisconsin in Fall 2012 and her CLS students conducted 43 video recorded oral history interviews which are now online at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Upon retirement, Arenas also co-authored Somos Latinas: Voices of Wisconsin Latina Activists in 2018 which won two national book awards.
In January 2020, Arenas founded the Wisconsin Latinx History Collective which will document Latinx people, businesses and events through 2030 in partnership with the Wisconsin Historical Society, Chicanx Latinx Studies UW-Madison, and Chicana Por Mi Raza Digital Memory Collective.
Have Questions?
Dawn Crim, our Vice Chancellor for Advancement, Community Engagement & Inclusivity, strives to build a culture of equity and inclusion. If you have any questions about UW-Green Bay's involvement in the Wisconsin Latinx History Collective, get in touch with her.