In collaboration with my esteemed mentor, Dr. Armin Langer, I am co-authoring the article "Promoting Pan-Americanism vis-à-vis U.S. Cultural Imperialism: Residente's 'This Is Not America' as Twenty-First-Century Latin American Resistance." This research is funded by the prestigious Emerging Scholars Award, granted annually to around 50 select freshmen and sophomores. Notably, our article is the first-ever Emerging Scholars Award project chosen by and to represent the Center for Latin American Studies, marking a historic milestone for the program.

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This research examines the cultural and political critiques embedded in Puerto Rican artist Residente’s song "This Is Not America." The song challenges the conflation of "America" with the United States, advocating instead for a pan-American identity that unites and empowers communities across Latin America and the Caribbean. By analyzing both the lyrics and visuals of the song and its music video, this project explores how Residente’s work embodies resistance and fosters a positive, regional identity. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, the goal is to situate Residente’s contributions within the broader tradition of Latin American art as a powerful form of political commentary.

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My responsibilities thus far have included conducting a comprehensive literature review, drafting key sections of the article, analyzing and interpreting song lyrics, offering nuanced perspectives on the music video, and reviewing both primary and secondary sources to support our research. The article will be published in an academic journal once completed.