Adding to Vanderbilt’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, library staff played a key role in supporting the Latinx Employee Affinity Group hosted Hispanic Heritage lunch at the Curb Center. Featuring Inka Trailor cuisine and music from across Latin America, the festive atmosphere fueled conversations about the search for Latinx culture and friends in Nashville. Attendees from a myriad departments including Government & Community Relations, Latinx Studies, Student Wellness, Special Education, Anthropology, and Jean & Alexander Heard Libraries. As new member Melanie Adams mentioned, “I believe this was the first time I’ve felt a sentido de comunidad in Vanderbilt.” This year promises a future of more cross-university collaborations.
The event was planned by Sara Lee Burd, a project archivist in Special Collections for the Lamar Alexander Papers and founding member of the Vanderbilt Latinx Employee Affinity Group. The Latinx EAG was founded by Sara and three other Latinx women on campus in response to a proposal by Vanderbilt’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office. Campus partnerships have been crucial to the success of the group. After the initial proposal, Sara noted, “I could leverage my relationships around campus to build a group. I’ve worked with numerous departments to make this happen.”
To learn more about the Latinx Employee Affinity Group and how get involved, please visit https://www.vanderbilt.edu/diversity/latinx/. All are welcome.