La Casita Cultural Center

Last updated
La Casita Cultural Center
Founded2011
FoundersInmaculada Lara-Bonilla, Silvio Torres-Saillant
Type Cultural center
PurposeCultural engagement, education, community outreach
Location
  • Lincoln Building, 109 Otisco St, Syracuse, NY 13204
Coordinates 43°02′46″N76°09′33″W / 43.04610678°N 76.15917533°W / 43.04610678; -76.15917533
Area served
Syracuse, Central New York
Key people
Tere Paniagua (Executive Director)
Website lacasita.syr.edu
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La Casita Cultural Center

La Casita Cultural Center is a cultural center affiliated with Syracuse University. Located in the Near Westside neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, the center focuses on programs and research that highlight the experiences of Latino communities in Central New York. [1]

Contents

History

The concept of La Casita was influenced by José "Chema" Soto's La Casita de Chema, a cultural hub for Puerto Rican and Latino communities in Spanish Harlem and the South Bronx. [1]

Established in 2011, La Casita's facilities underwent extensive renovations with support from Syracuse University and funding from the Round 2 Restore New York Communities Initiative. [2] The renovations were guided by architect Jon Lott of Syracuse University, whose interior design incorporated elements inspired by traditional Spanish architecture. [3]

Latino cultural centers at American universities emerged as formal institutions beginning in the 1970s, starting with La Casa/Centro Cultural Latino at Indiana University Bloomington (1973). [4] This trend expanded to universities including University of Illinois (La Casa Cultural Latina, 1974), [5] the University of Illinois Chicago (Centro Cultural Latino Rafael Cintrón Ortiz, 1976), [6] Yale University (La Casa Cultural de Julia de Burgos, 1977), [7] and MIT (Latino Cultural Center/Centro Cultural Latino). [8]

Programs and Research

Facilities and Community Programming

La Casita Cultural Center features a variety of facilities designed to support its mission of cultural engagement and education. The center includes an art gallery, a bilingual library, performance and workshop spaces, and areas for community gatherings. [9]

Additionally, La Casita offers workshops and programs for children, such as art classes and storytelling sessions, emphasizing bilingual and multicultural learning. [10]

Research Collaborations

La Casita was selected as one of ten institutions nationally to participate in "Latinos and Baseball: In the Barrios and the Big Leagues," a research initiative by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. The project documented the role of baseball as a social and cultural phenomenon within American Latino communities between 2020 and 2021. [11]

Image of a hallway in La Casita Cultural Center Image of La Casita, Syracuse.jpg
Image of a hallway in La Casita Cultural Center

Digital Collections

La Casita maintains a digital archive hosted by the New York Heritage Digital Collections Archive, featuring oral histories, art, and community stories. A goal of this archive is to preserve the cultural memory of Latino communities in New York state [12]

Notable collections include:

Events

La Casita Cultural Center hosts events that celebrate Latino culture and heritage. These include annual celebrations of Hispanic Heritage Month, art exhibitions, and cultural festivals. [16]

On Spetmber 15, 2023 La Casita hosted "Futurismo Latino – Cultural Memory and Imagined Worlds", an art showcase led by pieces from Chicano artists Cayetano Valenzuela and Zeke Peña. [17]

In September 2025, La Casita will open an exhibition called "Corpórea", a six-week long exhibit focused on themes of spiritual healing, identity, and community within the Spanish-Caribbean community. [18] The exhibit will feature Caribbean food, art, performances, and music acts, including Latin Grammy award winner Pedro Giraudo's tango quartet. [19]

Piece by Cayetano Valenzuela Futurismo Latino - Cayetano Valenzuela.jpg
Piece by Cayetano Valenzuela

References

  1. 1 2 "About La Casita". Syracuse University . Retrieved 2024-12-01.
  2. "Community Partners". Democratizing Knowledge Project. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  3. Chenxiang Zhu (2021-12-02). "Immersed in culture at La Casita". The NewsHouse . Retrieved 2024-12-01.
  4. "La Casa/Latino Cultural Center". Indiana University Bloomington . Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  5. "La Casa Cultural Latina". University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign . Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  6. "Rafael Cintrón Ortiz Latino Cultural Center". University of Illinois Chicago . Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  7. "La Casa Cultural: Latino Cultural Center". Yale College . Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  8. "MIT Latino Cultural Center". Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Retrieved 2025-07-30.
  9. Linan, Ali (28 September 2016). "La Casita Cultural Center hopes to expand national outreach". The Daily Orange . Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  10. "Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at These 27 Events in New York State". www.iloveny.com. 13 September 2024.
  11. "Smithsonian Announces "Latinos and Baseball" Collecting Initiative". National Museum of American History . 2020-01-23. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
  12. "New York Digital Collections". Early American Sources.
  13. "Balcón Criollo 2016-2017". La Casita Cultural Center. 21 May 2017. Retrieved 2024-12-04 via Issuu.
  14. Morris, Sophia (17 September 2016). "Former MLB Players Help Kick off Hispanic Heritage Month in Syracuse". WAER . Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  15. "Oral History Project". Empire State Library Network.
  16. "Liliana Porter in Once Upon a Time...A Toy Show at Syracuse University - Syracuse, NY - News - Sicardi | Ayers | Bacino | Art Gallery". www.sicardi.com.
  17. "Juan Felipe Herrera". Environmental Storytelling Central New York.
  18. Sun, Syracuse. "La Casita Cultural Center opens 'Corpórea' exhibition exploring identity through art". Syracuse Sun. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  19. "La Casita's fall opening event". CNY Vision. 2 September 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2025.