Latine Faculty and Staff Alliance

Meetings and Events

To become a member of the Latine Faculty and Staff Alliance, please submit a membership form so you can be informed of upcoming meetings and events. There is no cost associated with membership and no time commitments. Members can attend as many meetings and events as they would like. Individual membership in ERGs is strictly voluntary and open to all individuals who are interested in promoting diversity, equity and inclusiveness. Refer to the ERG benefits and guidelines for more information.

Resources

• LinkedIn Learning Online Courses (CMU login required) — A variety of courses are available for English language learners and non-native speakers of English; type "ESL" in the search bar to view options. You can also view courses in Spanish; click on the globe icon at the top right of the page to change the language.
• Latino/Hispanic Book List — Recommended fiction and non-fiction reading, curated by the Latine Faculty and Staff Alliance co-leads 
• Latino Community Center — Empower, advocate with, and celebrate Latinos in Allegheny County.
• Latin American Cultural Center — Experience the art, history and culture of Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Casa San José — Celebrate Latino culture; welcome immigrants; and embrace inclusion, dignity and respect.
• Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation — Dedicated to improving the lives of Hispanics in the region, increasing the Hispanic population, supporting existing and new Hispanic businesses, and increasing Hispanic investments in the region.

Leadership

Yazmin Peña, Co-Lead

Yazmin Peña (she/her) is a document manager for the Office of International Education. She graduated from Allegheny College with a BS in psychology and minored in Spanish. Yazmin was born and raised in New York City and identifies as Afro-Dominican / Dominican American. As a co-lead for the Latine Faculty and Staff Alliance, she hopes to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for Latine CMU community members and allies, as well as bring a fresh perspective to the group. She is passionate about travel, languages, inclusivity, and teaching others about her heritage, and is looking forward to learning and growing in this new role.

Stephanie Steren-Ruta, Co-Lead

Stephanie Steren-Ruta (she/her/ella) is an advanced manufacturing engineer at the Manufacturing Futures Institute. Raised in Argentina, she moved to the United States at a young age, overcoming the challenge of learning English upon arrival. In college, Stephanie was actively involved in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, significantly growing its membership and establishing events that continue to this day, nearly a decade later. Her dedication to volunteer work and pride in her heritage inspire her efforts to benefit the Latine CMU community. She is excited to co-lead this new role, aiming to make a positive impact.

Angelica Perez-Johnston, Member Liaison

Dr. Angelica Perez-Johnston (she/ella) serves as the associate dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts. With more than a decade of work centered on intentional support of marginalized communities through a lens of equity and shared knowledge creation, she was drawn to the Pittsburgh region for its wealth of opportunities, specifically in the advocacy and support of the rapidly growing Latine community. Dr. APJ earned her bachelor's in psychology and master's in mental health from Edinboro University and her doctorate in public administration from West Chester University.

Prior to entering the space of higher education, she served as a treatment team coordinator for at-risk youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Honoring her Chicana, bi-cultural and intersecting identities, she approaches the work of equity through a lens of shared learning and understanding and finding the "entry points" to conversations to increase the understanding of the impacts of equitable practice in higher education.