Anthropologist Alumna Heads Latino Cultural Center
Rosa Cabrera, an anthropologist who works on issues of cultural understanding and environmental conservation, was named director of the Rafael Cintrón Ortiz Latino Cultural Center. The appointment, subject to approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, is effective April 3.
Cabrera, a UIC graduate, comes to UIC from the Field Museum of Natural History. As senior urban anthropology manager since 2000, she developed and managed community engagement projects and participatory research related to cultural diversity and the natural environment.
“As a young immigrant teenager, I experienced the challenges of integration and identity formation that were often at odds with the need to belong to American culture and the influence of my cultural roots,” Cabrera said.
“I believe I can make a strong contribution to furthering UIC’s mission of promoting cultural understanding and reaffirming students’ cultural identity by developing the Latino Cultural Center into a dynamic hub for socially relevant encounters, dialogues and action.”
Cabrera earned her doctorate in anthropology and a bachelor of arts in design from UIC.
To read more, see the UIC News article.