Distinguished professor to share stories of the heartland through Latino voices

LAWRENCE — University Distinguished Professor of English Marta Caminero-Santangelo’s research centers on the culture and history of Latina/x/o people in the United States from many different angles. A leading scholar in Latino studies, she has published numerous books, book chapters and articles on immigration, trauma literature, identity, loss and more related to the Latino experience. 

Caminero-Santangelo will bring these experiences closer to home when she presents her inaugural distinguished professor lecture, “Imagining a Latino Heartland: Storytelling in Kansas, Then and Now,” at 5:30 p.m. April 8 in the Kansas Room of the Kansas Union.  

Individuals can register to attend the lecture in person. A recording of the lecture will be posted afterward on the Office of Faculty Affairs website for those unable to attend. 

Often, the story of Latino culture in the United States centers on regions where the Latino population has historically concentrated, such as New York, Florida, California and the Southwest, but Caminero-Santangelo will share the story of their history in the heartland of America and their long-standing, often neglected presence in the region.  

Caminero-Santangelo’s lecture is part of her current book project, "Imagining a Latino Heartland," where Caminero-Santangelo pushes back against the image of the Midwest as being overwhelmingly white and culturally static.  

“Latino communities have long shaped the heartland, redefining Midwestern spaces from big cities like Chicago and Kansas City to small rural towns in Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota,” Caminero-Santangelo said. 

Her book explores the tension of the Midwest as a place of both exclusion and belonging, where a history of labor, migration and community building complicates the typical narratives about American identity. 

"My hope is that by centering Latine voices and stories, we can start to rethink what the ‘heartland’ actually is — and who calls it home," she said. 

In addition to her extensive writing, Caminero-Santangelo is committed to mentoring students in Latino studies. She has helped numerous graduate students secure funding and develop their research. In 2023, she was named editor-in-chief of Latino Studies, the premier journal in the field. This fall, she will serve as vice president of the Latina/x/o Studies Association, and she will lead the steering committee for the 2028 biennial LSA conference at KU. 

Born to Cuban immigrant parents in Canada, Caminero-Santangelo grew up in Pittsburgh. She earned her bachelor’s in English magna cum laude from Yale University and her master’s and doctorate in English from the University of California, Irvine.  

Caminero-Santangelo said she is honored to be named a University Distinguished Professor alongside longtime colleagues such as University Distinguished Professor of English Emerita Maryemma Graham.  

“Her unwavering commitment to research that not only advances knowledge but also touches lives and pursues social justice has profoundly shaped my own approach throughout my career,” Caminero-Santangelo said. “I am grateful for her guidance and hope that in some small way I extend her legacy of engaged, impactful scholarship." 

The first distinguished professorships were established at KU in 1958. A university distinguished professorship is awarded wholly based on merit, following exacting criteria. A complete list is available on the Distinguished Professor website.