LOC Team
Our Team
Core Team
Dr. Gregory A. Dement
PI and Executive Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at UHD oversaw grant operations and integration of the Afro-Latino Story Map project into existing CTLE programs
Dr. Raquel Patricia Chiquillo
CO-PI and Faculty Lead for the project. She is professor of Spanish in the Department of History, Humanities and Languages at the University of Houston-Downtown, where she has taught since 2002. She worked closely with faculty and student translators in the planning and development of the projects.
Fabiola Vacatoledo
Instructional Designer with the UHD CTLE, provided support and guidance in the development and implementation of the project to faculty, student contributors and translators.
Jennifer Fuentes
UHD Online Learning Librarian provided research guidance for resources from the Library of Congress and outside resources. She also provided support on copyright, accessibility and technical needs for faculty and students.
Faculty
Dr. Giuliana Lund
Associate Professor of English
View Dr. Lund's Profile
Dr. Rafael Andúgar-Sousa
Visiting Professor of Humanities 2023-2024
Dr. Albert DeJesús-Rivera
Senior Lecturer in Spanish, Director of the Humanities Lab
Interim Director for Center for Latino Studies
20th Century Contemporary Latin American Literature, U.S. Hispanic Literature
View Dr. DeJesús-Rivera's Profile
Dr. Fernell Jiménez-Pabón
Adjunct Professor in Humanities (Latino Studies)
View Dr. Jiménez-Pabón's Profile
Dr. Peter Soland
Assistant Professor of History
View Dr. Soland's Profile
Dr. Yajaira Ceciliano-Navarro
Assistant Professor of Sociology
View Dr. Ceciliano-Navarro's Profile
Translation and Translators
Student participation in the Story Map translation helped us ensure students were
active contributors to the project’s development. Student translators had the opportunity
to refine both their language and professional skills. This hand-on experience allowed
them to apply learning in real-world contexts, bridging the gap between academic knowledge
and practical application. Through this process, students acquired practical job skills
like meeting deadlines, navigating project workflows and utilizing relevant technology
for their roles.
Adam Selim Guehria is a senior at the University of Houston-Downtown. He is a Criminal Justice Major and he just finished his Minor in Spanish last year. He will be graduating in December of 2024. He is currently preparing for Law School because he is particularly interested in the justice system. He is also very passionate about foreign cultures and languages and how they compare and contrast. Working as a translator for the StoryMap Project has been the best paid job he has had in his life thus far because not only does he get to stimulate his brain when solving translating problems as opposed to doing physical work, he also gets to refine his vocabulary knowledge in both English and Spanish. Also, as a native French speaker, he is also able to apply those translating skills to French English or French Spanish translations. Furtheremore, he will continue to seek translation or interpreting jobs in the future. Therefore, he believes that those translation skills he is acquiring will benefit him in the future given the importance of multilingualism in today's work society.
Libni A. Martinez Benitez is a senior at the University of Houston-Downtown, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. She is set to graduate in May 2025. Since childhood, she has developed a love for languages and an interest in how they connect people around the world. This translation opportunity has allowed her to develop her skills and gain invaluable experience, making the journey incredibly rewarding. Libni aspires to become a professional translator or interpreter to help others communicate across cultures. In the future, she hopes to start her own translation business to share her passion for languages and foster understanding in diverse communities.
Maria Ontiveros, Spanish major with a minor in digital marketing. Currently a senior and graduating
May 2025. She hopes to become a professional translator that can interpret in 3 languages.