The Andean-Amazonian Studies Work Group at Rutgers University hosted their inaugural Andean-Amazonia Symposium on April 25, 2025. This even was a successful exchange of research within the Rutgers community and outside it, including colleagues from Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Brazil and a delegation of faculty and grad students from Stony Brook University. The cohort of Stony Brook University academics were very impressed with the event and suggested doing a similar event there next year, with the possibility of providing transportation.
One of the highlights of the event was Keynote Speaker Dr. Américo Mendoza-Mori's presentation of his paper “Global and Migrant Indigeneity: Quechua Language Reclamation in the Andes and Beyond”, which explores the global-local connection of Quechua in the US. He was happy to be in New Jersey and at Rutgers, two locations that mean so much in this story.
The symposium was by many measures a huge success, in great part thanks to Paul Montjoy Forti and Mildred López Escudero, who organized this event and brought their vision to life. Special thanks to Professor Aldo Lauria-Santiago for his presence and support of the working group as director of CLAS. Lastly, thank you to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese for their continued support as well.