Training for K-12 educators has long been a prominent part of the LAI’s mission. Developed over three decades, our outreach program equips Los Angeles K-12 teachers to incorporate Latin American content into their curriculum in accordance with state academic standards. Each year the outreach coordinator organizes seminars and workshops on topics such as the history of corn or indigenous perspectives on the Conquest of Mexico. Speakers include UCLA faculty with expertise on the topic, faculty from other universities, or experts from cultural institutions. The workshops are accredited by Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), and participants receive salary points, professional development credit, or academic units upon completion of course requirements, including development of lesson plans and instructional materials. Workshops also include the full participation of an in-service teacher as a curriculum advisor.
Selected Recent Latin American Institute Workshops
Winter/Spring 2025 - Rhythms in Migration: Ongoing Presence of African Influences in Latin American Music
Summer 2024: Creando Cuentos
2023 - 2024: Latin American Children’s literature Series
Summer 2023: Monte Albán to California: Connecting the Indigenous Past and Present in Oaxaca, Mexico
2022- 2023: Migrant Children Negotiating Educational System Series (8 lectures)
Summer 2020: The Florentine Codex: The Conquest of Mexico Through Indigenous Eyes
Summer 2019: Mesoamerica from Maya to Aztec
Fall 2019: Giant Kites of Guatemala
History-Geography Project Collaboration
In partnership with UCLA's other two Title VI National Resource Centers (Center for Southeast Asian Studies and Center for Near Eastern Studies), the Latin American Institute co-organizes workshops with the UCLA History-Geography Project, a UCLA School of Education and Information Studies (SEIS) initiative that trains K-12 social studies teachers in curriculum development, lesson planning, critical literacy, and more. The LAI has developed training sessions on topics such as World Cities, bringing Latin America-specific content to workshops with global coverage.
History-Geography Project Workshops
Upcoming Summer 2025: Youth and the Democracy Movement
Summer 2024: Environmental Transformations and Their Impact
Summer 2023: Democracy & Power in the Modern World
Summer 2022: Sites of Encounter in World History: Quetzaltenango
For more information on the Latin American Institute's K-12 outreach program, contact outreach and community engagement coordinator Veronica Zavala at zavala@international.ucla.edu.