![]() | |
Founded | 2011 |
---|---|
Founders | Inmaculada Lara-Bonilla, Silvio Torres-Saillant |
Type | Cultural center |
Purpose | Cultural engagement, education, community outreach |
Location |
|
Coordinates | 43°02′46″N76°09′33″W / 43.04610678°N 76.15917533°W |
Area served | Syracuse, Central New York |
Key people | Tere Paniagua (Executive Director) |
Website | lacasita.syr.edu |
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]
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]
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]
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]
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:
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]