Our Community in the News

This collection of stories showcases the transformative work our Duke Latiné/Hispanic employees are doing in their professional lives and within our communities. Send us your stories

Understanding the 'Day of the Dead' Altar

Day of the Dead altars, a tradition developed in Mexico, present foods, photos, candles, and other objects that honor deceased loved ones. In November, Duke Chapel hosted a large ofrenda commissioned by Duke Arts, featuring calaveras (painted skulls) by artists with the Inter-Latin American Artist Collective. To better understand the traditions, history, and beliefs surrounding ofrendas, the Chapel, Duke Arts, and Say the Thing, convened a panel discussion.

Duke Celebrates Latinx Heritage Month

“Our Roots, Our Future,” is the theme for campus-wide celebrations and observances during Latinx Heritage Month at Duke University, which ends October 15.

Duke 100 Trailblazer: Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda

Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda believes in the power of community. The daughter of Cubans who emigrated to the United States in the 70s, Gonzalez-Guarda was born in Miami, where Cubans were part of the majority.

With His First Career Retrospective, Pedro Lasch Is Learning to Play Again

In November 2023, Mexico's Ministry of Culture and the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature opened “Pedro Lasch: Entre líneas / Between the Lines” at Mexico City’s Laboratorio Arte Alameda. The exhibit is a significant event for Lasch — a research professor of Art, Art History & Visual Studies — and the first retrospective of his career.

Climate Change and Health

Health experts at Duke University School of Medicine are scrutinizing the myriad ways in which shifting environmental conditions, from sweltering temperatures to severe storms, shape our well-being. 

Centennial Spotlight: Luis von Ahn

The Duke Centennial spotlights Luis von Ahn, the creator of the anti-spam tool reCAPTCHA. The Guatemalan native and Duke graduate is a national leader in computer science and technology.

Duke Junior Wins Truman Scholarship

Duke junior Yadira Paz-Martinez is among the 60 students that were selected as 2024 Truman Scholars from more than 700 candidates nominated by 285 colleges and universities.

Nasher Museum Names New Curator of Contemporary Art: Xuxa Rodríguez

Duke University’s Nasher Museum of Art has named Xuxa Rodríguez as curator of contemporary art. Rodríguez brings expertise in modern and contemporary Latinx and Latin American art, African diasporic art, feminist and queer art, transnational artists, and time-based media, with strengths in performance and video.