Stone Center for Latin American Studies: Post-Katrina Information

Caros Amigos:

I'm sending this message out to all of the faculty, graduate students, alumni, and friends of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Tulane University. Most of the these contacts I culled from the BLOG of Idelber Avelar, which has served as a message board and source of information for our community since Hurricance Katrina hit New Orleans ten days ago. I think I can speak for all of us in saying that I am grateful to him for gathering us all together and directing traffic during the initial period of shock and confusion.

The power of his BLOG to bring people together and serve as a conduit for information inspired me to create blog for our department called "Diaspora Verde". It goes without saying that we should all continue to regularly visit "O Biscoito Fino e a Massa" for information and commentary on everything from Katrina to Caetano, from FEMA to fútebol. I just thought that the time had come to have a departmental blog-- much more modest in scope-- to form an on-line community during this period of distress and uncertainty. I'm still learning the basic mechanics of how a BLOG works so for now it will be rather rudimentary.

The most urgent task is to aid in any way our graduate students who are seeking to enroll in graduate programs around the country. We are already working with several excellent departments in placing students. I am particularly concerned about first year students who may be unaware of these opportunties and who are not in touch with either me or Kathleen Davis. I strongly encourage all students to take advantage of opportunities to study for one semester at other institutions. Please let me know if I can help in any way to make contacts. I assure you that every university administrator and department chair with whom I have communicated has expressed a strong committment to accommodating Tulane students.

I ask that all of you forward this message to others connected in any way to the department so that we can slowly pull together as a community. I still do not have direct email contact with many of my colleagues in the department.

Take care and stay in touch.

Abraços,

Christopher

# posted by Huck @ 4:29 PM