All are invited to Venezuela Today: Hope In Uncertain Times Venezuela: esperanza en tiempos de incertidumbre A virtual bilingual conference at UC Berkeley Library, April 13. 2026
From 10 am to 12: 30 pm PDT/ 1 pm to 3:30 pm EDT (Caracas Time)/ 7 pm-9:30 pm (Madrid Time)
We remain extremely grateful to UC Berkeley Library’s administration and to our University Librarian, Suzanne Wones, for her constant support and encouragement.
In the wake of 2026’s shifts, Venezuela faces both hope and uncertainty. This virtual conference brings experts together to examine post-crisis realities: rebuilding institutions, managing oil sovereignty, and bridging the diaspora-local divide. Join us for an honest discussion on the transition from authoritarianism to stabilization and its human cost. This conference is free and open to all with prior registration. One must have a Zoom account to attend this conference. First authenticate by signing into you individual zoom accounts and then register.
The UC Berkeley Library has published Coherent Digital’s Latin America Commons database so that our students, faculty and visiting scholars can benefit from using it.
650+ historical newspapers and 400+ cultural magazines. 50,000 pages of newly digitized, rare archival materials.
This platform is a comprehensive digital initiative developed by Coherent Digital to preserve, digitize, and amplify at-risk primary-source materials from Latin America and the Latinx community. Spanning from the 16th to the 21st centuries, the richly indexed, cross-searchable repository aggregates hundreds of thousands of previously scattered items—including rare books, magazines, photographs, maps, diaries, and multimedia files—into a single unified archive. By stabilizing overlooked and vulnerable content that might otherwise be lost to link rot, time, or institutional neglect, its inaugural module, Latin American History and Culture, provides scholars and students with vetted, high-quality resources to foster more inclusive and equitable research.
I am extremely grateful to the UC Berkeley Library administration and especially to our University Librarian, Suzanne Wones, and Jo Anne Newyear Ramirez, Associate University Librarian for Scholarly Resources for their farsighted leadership and acquisition of the Latin American Histories in the United States: Module I database that will serve a wide range of students, faculty members, and visiting scholars on our campus.
Latin American Histories in the United States is a multi-archive resource providing primary sources from U.S. collections that document the everyday lives, activism, and cultural expression of diverse Latina/o/x/e communities—especially underrepresented groups such as Latinas, LGBTQ+, and Afro-Latina/o/x/e—during the mid-to-late twentieth century.
Some items from the database that are worth highlighting are
Personal papers, memorabilia, and photographs of Normandia Maldonada, an activist and community leader among the Dominican people in the United States, relating to her artistic accomplishments, career, personal and family life
A vast array of newspapers, periodicals, and publications produced by different Latinx communities across the US, covering topics such as the Chicano Movement, migration, and everyday life
The Jorge Huerta Papers containing materials documenting his activities as a director, writer, professor, and expert on Chicano theatre
The Roberto Jesus Vargas diaries documenting his life as an AIDS activist in Sonoma County
The La Raza En Acción Local audio collection, which features recordings of Latinx-produced community radio
Presbyterian collections showcasing religious advocacy, educational support, and community building through a variety of organizations and groups based in Texas
PRAGDA features 500+ Latin American, Spanish, and Latinx streaming films/series, showcasing diverse voices and perspectives from over 30 countries in their original languages with English subtitles.
Pragda Complete Film Collection
The Pragda film database is a comprehensive streaming platform specializing in Latin American, Spanish, and Latinx cinema. It offers a curated collection of over 700 films from more than 30 countries, all presented in their original languages with English subtitles or captions. The database is widely used by universities, libraries, and cultural institutions to provide access to award-winning documentaries, feature films, and series that cover a broad range of themes—including social issues, history, culture, feminism, immigration, and international politics.
Pragda provides educational resources such as discussion guides, filmmaker Q&As, and customizable streaming options, making it a valuable tool for academic and institutional markets. Films in the collection are available with Public Performance Rights (PPR) and Digital Site Licenses (DSL), allowing easy integration into curricula and public screenings. The platform is accessible via institutional subscriptions, and many films are also available for individual licensing.
Film Screening & Discussion: “State of Silence”
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM
The title of a film is “Estado de Silencio” (The State of Silence).
“State of Silence/Estado de Silencio” delves into the challenges facing press freedom in Mexico, chronicling the dangerous work of four journalists as they uncover the ties between organized crime and government corruption. Through their eyes, the documentary reveals the obstacles and risks they face in breaking the silence around systemic abuse and violence. A panel discussion and audience Q&A with will follow the screening:
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is an essential Mexican holiday, primarily celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. It is a time for families and friends to gather, pray for, and remember loved ones who have died. The celebration is vibrant, focusing on life and remembrance, rather than mourning. Key traditions include creating ofrendas (altars) decorated with marigolds (cempasúchil), favorite foods and drinks of the departed, candles, and colorful sugar skulls (calaveras).
The Bancroft Library: Located within the Doe Annex, Bancroft is the university’s premier special collections library. Its Latin Americana Collection is a critical resource for primary materials related to Día de los Muertos and broader Mexican culture. This collection has been known to feature items such as:
Rare publications and historical documents on Mexican traditions.
Original materials related to the arts and political satire, including the iconic works of artist José Guadalupe Posada (known for his skeletal figures, or calaveras), whose prints have heavily influenced the holiday’s visual iconography.
Illustrating Mexico one page at a time-Print Art of José Guadalupe Posada
Several venues across the East Bay feature Día de los Muertos altars. The Oakland Public Library is among the organizations hosting a related activity. Below are photos of the altar created by the library’s César Chávez branch (formerly the Latin American Library) to commemorate this important cultural tradition.
Photos below: Credit: Liladhar P.
Our Social Sciences Library at UC Berkeley Library, my departmental colleagues have created also an altar whose pictures I am sharing. Two colleagues who took initiative in supporting this activity are Angelica V.M. and Cody H.
Photos below: Credit Angelica VM.
A dia de los muertos altar at Social Sciences Research Library
The following subject terms can be helpful to our students when trying to locate materials on Dia de los muertos in our library’s collections.
Please submit your feedback to your librarian for Latin American and Caribbean Studies: Liladhar
Latin America Commons Landing Page
Latin America Commons by Coherent Digital is a full-text, richly-indexed database that provides unified, cross-searchable access to millions of pages of Latin American and Latinx primary-source materials, including books, magazines, photographs, maps, letters, diaries, ephemera, videos, and audio files that were previously scattered across the internet and in archives. The project aims to preserve at-risk content, rare documents, and often overlooked resources spanning from the 16th to the 21st centuries, making it easier for scholars and students to discover vetted, high-quality material for research and study.
All are invited to attend our 2025 Hispanic American Heritage Month webinar that this time focuses on Afro-Latinx heritage.
The webinar will take place on September 16th from 12:45 pm to 2:15 pm PST (3:45 pm to 5:15 pm EST). The webinar is free and open to all with prior registration.
This webinar features three scholars whose work advances understanding of Latin American and Afro-Latinx communities through social policy, culture, and education. In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the event explores racial and gender justice, ethnoracial legislation, climate ethnography, and Afro-Indigenous knowledge systems. Presenters offer critical insights into how law, environment, heritage, and pedagogy shape the lived experiences of Hispanic and Afro-Latinx communities.
Please save the date on your calendars for an exciting upcoming conversation-book talk (On Savage Shores : How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe) for our community of UC Berkeley Library and affiliated staff and librarians. Date: February 6, 2024 Day: Thursday, Time: 12-1 pm (Pacific Time) 8 pm-9 pm UK Time
Free and Open to All with prior registration. If you need special assistance or accommodation, please contact Dr. Liladhar R Pendse, the event organizer.
About the Webinar: In this webinar, Professor Caroline Dodds Pennock(She/her) will discuss her book, On Savage Shores: How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe. This book challenges the traditional Eurocentric view of the Age of Discovery by focusing on the Indigenous Americans who crossed the Atlantic to Europe after 1492. For centuries, history has taught that global history began when the “Old World” met the “New World” with Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. However, Caroline Dodds Pennock’s research reveals that, for many Indigenous people—Aztecs, Maya, Totonacs, Inuit, and others—Europe was the “New World.”
Collaged pages of Codex Mendoza. The Codex Mendoza is an Aztec codex, believed to have been created around the year 1541.These individuals, including enslaved people, diplomats, explorers, servants, and traders, saw Europe as a land of both wonder and cruelty, filled with vast wealth inequality, and strange customs. Their experiences, marked by abduction, cultural clashes, and loss, have been largely excluded from mainstream historical narratives. This book tells the untold stories of the Indigenous Americans who traveled to Europe, such as the Brazilian king who met Henry VIII, the Aztecs at the court of Charles V, or the Inuit displayed in London pubs. Pennock uses their stories and European accounts to reveal how these Indigenous people, though marginalized, left a lasting impact on European culture and society.
About the author
Professor Caroline Dodds Pennock (She/her) has been at the University of Sheffield since 2010, where they are known as one of the few British historians specializing in Aztec studies. Their current research, however, has expanded to include Indigenous histories in a global context, with a particular focus on the Atlantic world. Dr. Caroline Dodds Pennock recently published On Savage Shores: How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe, which tells the stories of Indigenous Americans who traveled to Europe in the sixteenth century. These accounts, often involving abduction, loss, and cultural appropriation, have largely been overlooked in mainstream history.
Professor Caroline Dodds Pennock, University of Sheffield. Image Credit: University of Sheffield
Dodds Pennock, Caroline. On Savage Shores : How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe / Caroline Dodds Pennock. First American edition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2023.
Navigating Identity, Belonging, and Citizenship: A Conversation with Professor Canizales
In this webinar, Stephanie L. Canizales, Ph.D., will discuss her new book, Sin Padres, Ni Papeles, which explores the complex experiences of unaccompanied young migrants from Central America and Mexico in the United States. Canizales illuminates the long history of this migration and how young migrants find meaning and demonstrate resilience in the face of significant adversity.
Assistant Professor
Sociology Department
UC Berkeley
Faculty Director
Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative
Accessibility accommodations
If you require an accommodation to fully participate in this event, please contact Liladhar Pendse at lpendse at berkeley.edu or 510-768-7610 at least 7-10 days in advance of the event. Organizer: Dr. Liladhar R. Pendse
Available in an alternate format
To request an accessible version of this document, please contact the Library Communications Office at librarycommunications@berkeley.edu.
Navigating Identity, Belonging, and Citizenship: A Conversation with Professor Canizales
![A Collage of pages of Codex Mendoza. The Codex Mendoza is an Aztec codex, believed to have been created around the year 1541.[1] It contains a history of both the Aztec rulers and their conquests as well as a description of the daily life of pre-conquest Aztec society. The codex is written using traditional Aztec pictograms with a translation and explanation of the text provided in Spanish. It is named after Don Antonio de Mendoza (1495-1552), the viceroy of New Spain, who supervised its creation and who was a leading patron of native artists.](https://update.lib.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/imgonline-com-ua-twotoone-Ddaw07KdHVpPXVF-scaled.jpg)
