Africana & Latino Studies combines methods of 'traditional' disciplines (history, economics, literature, philosophy, sociology, etc) to analyze the black and Latino experience in the Americas & nations of origin, e.g., in Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Our curriculum focuses on issues, ideas, and historical movements that have had a direct impact on Latino peoples and peoples of African descent.   Although race and ethnicity as social factors continue to be addressed by our department, we are deeply concerned with the ways  they intersect with today's issues such as global warming, environmental degradation, the socio-economic problems of minority youth, the needs of women of color, interests of immigrants and refugees, the challenges of upward mobility, bilingualism and language issues, and the minority presence within the American business community.

While some of our upper level courses require prerequisites (background courses), being a member of a historically underrepresented minority is not one of them. All students are welcomed by the Department, whether as majors, minors, or individuals enrolled for their own enrichment. As New York state and the USA confront new global realities in the 21st century, we are all faced with new challenges and opportunities. While working to redress past injustices, we embrace the challenge of building a new future based on mutual respect, understanding, and tolerance, in the evolving multicultural context that is America.