CASA SOL Staff
CASA SOL Advisory Committee Bios (2019-2020)
Lisa Sass Zaragoza
lsz@umn.edu
¡Hola Solerxs-bienvenidos! My name is Lisa Sass Zaragoza. I was born and raised in Chicago, though I've been in MN for 30+ years, so am pretty grounded here as well. I live in south MPLS with my three children. I love reading and most anything to do outdoors--biking, gardening, hiking, camping, canoeing, to name a few. If I'm not doing those activities, then I'm trying to plan when will be the next time I can :-). Here at the University of MN, I coordinate Programs and Outreach for the Department of Chicano and Latino Studies and teach the spring CASA SOL class. Feel free to stop by anytime, particularly if you are interested in working with schools, groups or organizations in the Latino community(ies) as part of your efforts here at the U of MN. ¡I'm super excited to meet and get to know you--the 2018-2019 Solerxs cohort!
Karen Mary Davalos
kmdavalos@umn.edu
Dr. Karen Mary Davalos is Department Chair and Professor of Chicano and Latino Studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She has published widely on Chicana/o art, spirituality, and museums. Among her distinctions in the field, she is the only scholar to have written two books on Chicana/o museums, Exhibiting Mestizaje: Mexican (American) Museums in the Diaspora and The Mexican Museum of San Francisco Papers, 1971-2006.
Juan Telles
tell0037@umn.edu
I work full-time as an Academic Advisor for the College of Liberal Art in the President's Emerging Scholars program at the University of Minnesota. I enjoy learning and reading about US history, specifically about Chicano/Latino history in the US, which complements my U of M undergraduate degree in history. I also got my Masters in the Multicultural College Teaching and Learning program. I am an active member Minnesota Alumni Network of Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Inc. (Latino-based Fraternity here at the U of MN) and enjoy working with the students in the Living Learning Community CASA SOL. I also collaborate with fellow Latinos across campus in Latino/a/x Faculty and Staff Association. In my spare time I enjoy hanging out with my family and fraternity brothers, watching movies, playing games and video games, listening to music, reading, and trying new things.
Lorena Muñoz
lmunoz@umn.edu
I am an Assistant Professor in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies and American Studies. My research is focused on (im)migrants communities in the global south, particularly in the areas the informal economy, food, gender, sexuality, race and health. Growing up in Mexico, street vending was simply a tapestry of everyday life. On Sundays after church I bought my food, and every day my breakfast or my lunch was bought outside of school from street vendors. When I moved to Los Angeles for graduate work, I found that the community and public landscape incredibly similar to the one where I grew up in Mexico. Street vendors would set up outside my apartment like clockwork, offering the predominantly Latino community traditional food and goods. This has influenced my interests in street vending, urban community food production and food justice activisms.
Raul Aguilar Jr.
raul@umn.edu
My name is Raul Aguilar Jr., and I am originally from Hayward, WI. Though, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities brought me to the Twin Cities over 10 years ago, and now it is home :). Here at the university I earned my bachelor's degree in communication studies, and now I am planning my route to my masters program. I work for the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE) & The Circle of Indigenous Nations as the Community Engagement Coordinator/Multicultural Associate. This is my first year with the CASA SOL Planning Committee and really looking forward to working with all the incoming students! Oh, and there are a lot of activities I enjoy to do in my spare time. Anything from relaxing at home watching movies, go hiking, kayaking, or to arts & crafts with music playing all the time. Can't wait to hear your stories, and working with you!
Amy Barton
fjel0032@umn.edu
Hi! I am the Assistant Director for Student Engagement in the College of Biological Sciences. I was born in Guatemala but grew up on the East Side of St. Paul, MN. I was adopted as a baby and have communication with my birth family, so I consider both Minnesota and Guatemala to be home. I earned my Bachelor’s in Family Social Science and Master’s in Multicultural College Teaching and Learning both from the University of Minnesota. I am part of the Latino/a/x Faculty and Staff Association on campus where I lead outreach initiatives. I live in Richfield with my husband Charlie and our two little boys Luis (4) and Javi (2). In my free time I enjoy traveling, listening to the Code Switch podcast, dancing (I am mildly obsessed with Selena!), watching movies, dabbling in photography and laughing with friends.
Domingo Coto
cotox002@umn.edu
Bienvenidos a CASA SOL! My name is Domingo A. Coto (pronouns: he/him/his) and I am the Residence Director for Sanford & Wilkins Halls. I was born in Compton, California, but have lived in Minnesota since the lovely age of 4. I went to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities for my undergraduate career, where I got my Bachelor's degree in Psychology, and to the University of St. Thomas for my graduate career, where I got my Master's degree in Leadership in Student Affairs. I have worked at the U since November 2015 and can honestly say it feels nice to be home again. Beside my work in Housing & Residential Life, I am a co-chair of Pride@Work, the LGBTQIA+ affinity group on campus, as well as the President of the Minnesota College Professionals Association (MCPA). When not working, I enjoy reading, going to concerts, watching movies, playing video games, hiking, spending time with family and friends, and playing with my chinchilla, Beylor.
Carolina Mendez
mendez@umn.edu
Saludos! My preferred pronouns: She/her/hers. I am a freshman admissions counselor and the Chicanx/Latinx recruitment coordinator for admissions. I was born in the center of the world, Ecuador and moved to Minnesota at the age of 8 to reunite with my parents after 6 years. I was undocumented/DACAmented up until March of 2017. Therefore, being an immigrant is a central part of my identity. I graduated from Augsburg University with a Marketing major and Spanish minor. I am hoping to continue my education and pursue a master’s degree in Higher Education or Public Policy. I love to stay active active in the summer, go out dancing with my friends and spending time with my family.