Maria Acosta, “Roberto Hernandez Center Interview Project”
Mentor: Ann Hanlon, Digital Collections and Initiatives
The Roberto Hernandez Center (RHC) is one of the cultural and advocacy centers at the UW-Milwaukee campus. Its purpose is to serve students who identify as Hispanic or Latino with anything that pertains to college success. The purpose of this project has been to explore the existence of the department and its evolution from being the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute (SSOI). Many interviews were conducted to provide context and piece the development of the department and celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2020. Interviewees range from student who have been positively impacted by the RHC and staff who have aided in the transformation of the department. Also, among the interviewed are student activists who made the department establishment possible. The interviews conducted have been included in the UWM Library archive and transcribed for better access to anyone interested in the project.
I enjoyed learning about the origin of the Roberto Hernandez Center, but you assumed that all viewers would know what the “Chapman Takeover” was. I did not, as I’ve only been on campus since 2010. Thus, I would have appreciated a brief description of this event before your discussion of the interviews and the photos. I would also have appreciated some information on how the takeover ended and resulted in the creation of the Hernandez Center. Roberto Hernandez, who was at the takeover, was clearly an important figure in the movement to establish a home for Latino and Hispanic students on campus, so a brief mention of his role in the takeover would have helped me understand the center better. But I appreciate you differentiating between Latino and Hispanic, as I didn’t previously understand the difference. Thanks!
Hi Maria,
What a fantastic project!
I’m curious what you have learned as being a part of this work? What will you take away from the experience of transcribing the interviews, for example? How do you see others using the archived interviews in the future?
Thanks!