Alan Adame attended several events at Vanderbilt University that deepened his understanding of Latin America. He learned about the challenges facing coffee farmers in Mexico and El Salvador from a panel discussion. At another event, he heard about inadequate teacher training and resources in El Salvador leading to high dropout rates and crime. A third event discussed the working conditions of Bolivian immigrants in São Paulo, Brazil. These events highlighted important social and economic issues throughout Latin America.

1. Alan Adame
November 24th
, 2015
Latin American Studies Events Reflection
Throughout this last year and half at Vanderbilt, I’ve had the opportunity to learn
about various issues and topics passionate individuals are addressing throughout Latin
America. Latin America is a region of immense optimism, opportunity, and beauty seen
in the landscapes, and the souls and faces of those that call the diverse region home. I will
include in this brief reflection a few of the events I attended that impacted me and
deepened my understanding of, and appreciation for, the region and its people dedicating
their lives to the future prosperity and happiness of Latin America.
The event Conectados por café, held in September of 2014, featured two coffee
agriculturalists from Chiapas, Mexico, and El Salvador. The event was moderated by Dr.
Edward Fischer, our Director of the Center for Latin American Studies, and it was
conducted entirely in Spanish. I was impressed to learn of the connection that exists
between these coffee farmers and a local Nashville coffee shop, Bongo Java, and the
importance Bongo Java places on assuring these Central American farmers are paid
adequately for the taxing work involved in coffee bean collection. During the event, our
two guests enlightened us on issues limiting the stability of coffee production, including
bad harvests, and how a bad harvest and a poor output on a given year can greatly reduce
profits. Growing sensitivity for the plight of coffee producers is only recently being
compensated for. The rise of the fair trade movement allows coffee farmers to be better
compensated for their coffee, increasing their revenue and ability to cope with
unpredictable changes in coffee output.
In October 2014, I attended a Peabody International Lunch Series event entitled
Going it Alone: Deficient Teacher Support in El Salvador and Possibilities for Reform.
The main speaker was Libni Guardado, a 2014-15 Humphrey Fellow, who previously
served as a primary school teacher in El Salvador. Libni shed light on the crucial issue of
inadequate teacher training and supervision in El Salvador, arguing a strong case that
linked low public school resources and quality instruction with high drop out rates and
consequent crime. Libni argued the Salvadorian national government, responsible for
providing funding to districts for local schools, provided insufficient funds. Inadequate
school resources, coupled with low pay for teachers, created a poor learning environment.
Teachers often failed to show up to class, pursuing other more lucrative employment
while continuing to receive their school teacher salary. This is possible due to the
practically non-existent system of teacher evaluation in many rural schools. Therefore,
students lost interest in attending class, and male students became much more likely to
join gangs, become involved in the drug trade, and commit violent acts. Libni’s personal
account demonstrates a clear link that I expected existed between poor education and
high crime. In El Salvador, matters are made worse by inadequate allocation of funding
for education and rampant corruption.
In January 2015, Mira Kohl, a Latin American Studies M.A. student from Tulane
University, came to Vanderbilt to share her thesis and welcome discussion and advice as
on improving her existing work. This talk was hosted by the Brazilian Reading Group
and Mira’s work was entitled: “The Sweatshop and the Marketplace: Social Spaces of

2. Bolivian Migration in São Paulo.” I learned of an existing Bolivian culture in the Praça
Contuta of São Paolo, where many Bolivians today work in sweatshop-like conditions.
Praça Contuta with its Bolivian population is increasingly becoming a tourist destination
for local residents, increasing the visibility and harsh conditions of Bolivians living and
working there. A debate among us in the reading group developed, with some
denouncing this human rights violation and calling for shutting down these factories.
Others took a different side, arguing the conditions under which paulistano Bolivians
lived and worked were a result of their own choice, represented a better lifestyle than
before when they were living in Bolivia.
A fourth event, entitled Favelas in the Vanguard: Rethinking our Assumptions in
Sustainable Development, featured Theresa Williamson, a half-Brazilian, half-British
woman that split her childhood between Washington, D.C. and Rio de Janeiro. She
founded and directed a community development organization called Catalyc
Communities (CatComm), in the Rio Favela of Rocinha. Her organization focuses on
improving the aesthetics and livability of favelas in Rio, and is part of a recent social
transformation of perception in what favelas represent. Favelas are evolving from their
age-old image of centers of crime, drugs, and squalor. There is a sort of gentrification of
favelas that is rapidly spreading in Rio, aided by organizations like CatComm and
reinforced by positive messages, images, and videos spread through social media. In
particular, Theresa is very interested in maintaining the communal nature in favelas while
including more vibrant colors and innovative design, and improving sewage,
infrastructure, and telecommunication access.
Marshall Eakin, renowned professor of modern Brazilian history, gave a talk in
November I had the fortune of attending entitled “Brazilian Identity in the 20th
Century.”
In his talk, Professor Eakin began by deconstructing modern Brazilian society by probing
what features in a nation’s culture compose a unique national identity. Music, customs,
and food around the world certainly comprise elements of a national identity. In Brazil,
football and samba are particularly important. But most important, Eakin argued, in
forming national identity and socialization, is schooling. Identity in Brazil was also
strongly shaped by different forms of media throughout the 20th
century— radio from the
1930’s-60’s, film from the 1940’s-80’s, and television from the 1960’s-90’s. By
understanding more about what national identity is composed of in Brazil, and what
influences this perception of national identity (like media and football), we can better
understand the root of social issues plaguing Brazil today. For example, only recently has
the myth of Brazil’s “racial democracy” become unmasked as a façade hiding subtle but
obstinate racial discrimination. Gilberto Freyre (1900-1987) is often considered the father
of modern Brazil. His romantic views of Brazil as a culturally mixed, harmonious society
gave birth to Brazil’s identity as a mixed peoples influenced by a beautiful combination
of European, African, and indigenous elements. However, recently this “harmonious”
perception is being debunked. The growth of affirmative action policies in Brazil’s
universities ensure a larger proportion of competent dark skinned Brazilians receive
quality education, and are not barred access due to their skin color. This exemplifies a
growing understanding of the need to be proactive in reducing white privilege and racial
discrimination in Brazil.