The Newark Public Library recently hosted an insightful academic forum titled "The Archives Speak: A Look at Jersey’s Latino History." Organized by the New Jersey Hispanic Research and Information Center (NJHRIC), the event brought together scholars and the community to explore the experiences and expansion of Latino populations in the state. The discussion focused on historical underrepresentation and the importance of preserving community narratives to shape identity and resilience.
Among the panelists were Carmen Molina-Tamacas, journalist and anthropologist, and visiting scholar at the CLAS whose work focuses on the century-long history of Salvadoran immigration in the region, and Aldo Lauria Santiago, CLAS Director and a leading expert on Latino communities in the United States. During the session, Lauria Santiago shared insights from his extensive research on labor and politics, which has been instrumental in documenting the Latino experience across the state.
Photographs by Juan Carlos Capellán