Lourdes Concepción Cabán has joined the Latin American Latino/a Studies (LALS) program at Illinois State University. Serving as the program’s graduate assistant, she will be assisting Director Maura Toro-Morn in running the LALS office. Concepción Cabán is a second year Ph.D. student in school psychology at Illinois State.
Where is your hometown?
I come from a small town on the west side of Puerto Rico, called Moca.
What is your major or focus of study?
I pursued my bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez, graduating in June 2021. I am currently pursuing my second year of my Ph.D. in school psychology. Last year, I started my apprenticeship in anti-racism with Dr. Gregory Braswell and Dr. Suejung Han. I am currently studying microaggressions with Dr. Brea Banks. I plan to do my dissertation on microaggressions within Latino communities.
After graduation I plan to work in academia. I want to go back to Puerto Rico and work with my community.
What drew you to the Latin American and Latino/a Studies program?
Before and after moving to the United States, I knew I wanted to work with my Latina/o community. Coming into the Latin American and Latino/a Studies program provides me with the opportunity to work closely with my community while also learning the history.
What are you looking forward to in the coming year with LALS?
I want to be able to connect with my roots and my people. Additionally, I want to create collaborative links between school psychology and LALS.
Why do you feel the program is important?
With millions of people identifying as Hispanic or Latino in the U.S., Latin American culture and languages are becoming more relevant in everyday life in the United States. Having a Latin American and Latino/a Studies program is an educational opportunity for people to interact with Latino populations and understand their cultures, background, and languages. Furthermore, it provides students with the historical formation of categories of race and discrimination, where Latin America is born from colonization. Finally, having LALS gives Latino studies the certainty that they matter within a historically white institution, and can come into a space where they are valued, respected, and represented.
What do you want people to know about LALS?
I want them to know that LALS is a program made for undergraduate students to conduct work on Latin America, which will provide them with knowledge of multiple aspects of the relationship between the United States and Latin America and the life of Latinos in the United States. Being part of the program provides students from different majors to come together and explore a single topic. Students can apply this knowledge in their everyday academic and professional life. Beyond the intellectual enrichment that LALS provides students, it gives them a space to interact freely, form a community, and create long-lasting bonds.
