“Si...,Pero,...No”: Culture, Cognition and Colonialism in the Production of HIV/AIDS Disparities Among Puerto Ricans
The Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Public Policy and Community Development presents María Idalí Torres, PhD, the new director of the Gastón Institute, as its first speaker for the 2009 Speaker Series. Her presentation “Si...,Pero,...No”: Culture, Cognition and Colonialism in the Production of HIV/AIDS Disparities Among Puerto Ricans” will highlight (1) the relationship of culture, cognition and colonialism as it has emerged from the analysis of longitudinal in-depth interviews about HIV/AIDS and other sexual health topics with adult Puerto Rican women, and (2) the salient implications of these findings for public policies aimed at the implementation and evaluation of bilingual comprehensive sexuality education in school and community settings that are producing disparities.
The presentation will take on Thursday, February 26, 2009 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Chancellor’s Conference Room, which is on the third floor of the Quinn Administration Building at the University of Massachusetts Boston. This event is free and open to the public.
Dr. Torres is a medical anthropologist with a PhD from the University of Connecticut. She comes to UMass Boston from the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at UMass Amherst, where she was an Associate Professor and Acting Assistant Dean. Dr Torres’ research has focused on the promotion, protection and maintenance of health among Latino women and their families.
Dr. Torres is available for private interviews. To RSVP your attendance or to schedule an interview with the speaker, please email melissa.colon@umb.edu or call 617-287-5773.
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About the Gastón Institute
The Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy was established in 1989 at the University of Massachusetts Boston by the Massachusetts State Legislature at the behest of Latino community leaders and scholars in response to a need for improved understanding of the Latino experience in the Commonwealth. The mission of the Gastón Institute is to inform policy makers about issues vital to the state’s growing Latino community and to provide this community with the information and analysis necessary for effective participation in public policy development. The Gastón Institute’s Speaker Series was established in 1992 and is the longest running lecture series at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The Speakers Series aims to provide an opportunity for scholars working on issues of interest to the Latino population to present their work. Held twice in the fall and twice in the spring semesters, the Speakers Series is open and free to the public. For more information on the Gaston Institute, go to www.gaston.umb.edu.
About UMass Boston
The University of Massachusetts Boston prides itself on providing challenging teaching, distinguished research, and extensive public service to Boston and the Commonwealth. UMass Boston offers undergraduate and graduate study to more than 14,100 students in more than 150 fields. UMass Boston and the four other University of Massachusetts campuses combine to attract $400 million in research and development investment annually and generate $4 billion in yearly economic activity for the Commonwealth. For more information, please see www.umb.edu.