All Themes

Language, Memory, and Iconography

Spoken, written, and visual systems of communication carry deep cultural meanings. This theme explores how language, imagery, and representational forms preserve memory, transmit knowledge, and shape collective identity. Perspectives may consider poetry, calligraphy, oral traditions, inscriptions, emblems, and other expressive modes that encode history, belief, and belonging.

144

PERSPECTIVES

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44

PEOPLE

Stephen Acabado close up on face, wearing glasses and smiling, with bright foliage in the background

Stephen

Acabado

Professor, Department of Anthropology at University of California, Los Angeles

Tanya Aguiniga with a top knot, smiling and wearing glasses and a black top

Tanya

Aguiñiga

Artist, Designer, and Craftsperson

Gassia Armenian, face of a woman with short brown hair, smiling and wearing an elaborate necklace

Gassia

Armenian

Research Curator

Fowler Museum at UCLA

Ingrid Arriaga smiling and wearing an orange scarf

Ingrid

Arriaga

Anthropologist and Researcher

Cultural Institute of Mexico in France

Maymi Benetez Renteria wearing a brightly embroidered shirt

Luciana

Benítez Rentería

Artist

Daughter of José Benítez Sánchez

Neuwy Benitez Renteria wearing a pink and white shift, with his hands clasped in front of him

Neuwy

Benítez Rentería

Legal Advisor

Son of José Benítez Sánchez

Fidencio Benitez wearing a bright blue outfit standing in front of textiles

Fidencio

Benítez

Artist

Son of José Benítez Sánchez

Close up on Helen Burgos Ellis smiling

Helen

Burgos-Ellis

Art Historian and Lecturer

César E. Chávez Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

Armand Camhol with short hair and a thin mustache, wearing a grey button up shirt

Armand

Camhol

Doctoral Candidate

National Chengchi University in Taiwan

Minerva Carillo de la Cruz wearing a white dress and leaning up against a natural element

Minerva

Carrillo de la Cruz

Director of Indigenous Affairs

City of Tepic, Nayarit

Tutupika Carillo de la Cruz outside, in colorful clothing, wiht a round thatch rooted building behind him

Tutupika

Carrillo de la Cruz

Linguist and Language Activist

formal headshot of Youssef Carter wearing a brown jacket and black shirt

Youssef

Carter

Assistant Professor and Kenan Rifai Fellow in Islamic Studies

Department of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Veronica Castillo outdoors with red shirt and glasses

Verónica

Castillo

Ceramicist, Clay Sculptor, Illustrator, and Painter

Myriam Chancy smiling outdoors

Myriam J. A.

Chancy

Hartley Burr Alexander Chair in the Humanities

Scripps College

Hilaria Chavez Carillo wearing a red shirt, with a blue strap across it

Hilaria

Chávez Carrillo

Artist

Wife to José Benítez Sánchez

Kyrah Malika Daniels wearing a brightly colored shirt and glasses

Kyrah Malika

Daniels

Assistant Professor of African American Studies, Emory University

Faculty Co-Coordinator, Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program

Lynna Dhanani wearing a brown turtleneck, smiling, with a bookshelf behind her

Lynna

Dhanani

Assistant Professor

Religious Studies, University of California, Davis

Mamyrah Douge Prosper standing oiutside with her arms crossed, wearing a blue dress

Mamyrah

Dougé-Prosper

Assistant Professor of Global and International Studies

University of California, Irvine

Jahsun Edmonds wearing a green khaki coat and a white shirt

Jahsun

Edmonds

Adjunct Professor of Africana Studies at California State University Dominguez Hills

Ifa Priest (Babalawo)

Xochitl Marcial holding a big grey dog

Xóchitl M.

Flores-Marcial

Associate Professor

Department of Chicana/o Studies, California State University, Northridge

Carlee Forbes wearing a blue blazer and a striped shirt, smiling at the camera.

Carlee

Forbes

Associate Curator of African and Oceanic Art

Baltimore Museum of Art

Silvia Forni with turquoise bars, wearing a necklace of large colored balls and a black shirt

Silvia

Forni

Shirley & Ralph Shapiro Director, Fowler Museum at UCLA

Cindy Weyandt outside, wearing a beige wool coat and red scarf

Cyndy

García-Weyandt

Assistant Professor

Department of Critical Ethnic Studies, Kalamazoo College

Erica Jones wearing glasses, a black shirt and white bead necklace

Erica

Jones

Senior Curator of African Arts and Manager of Curatorial Affairs at the Fowler Museum at UCLA

Colson Kishimoto smiling, wearing a black suit jacket and tie

Colson

Kishimoto

UCLA graduate

Jean Daniel Lafontant wearing a dark suit against a dark red background

Jean-Daniel

Lafontant

Oungan (Vodou priest)

Executive Director, Haitian Cultural Foundation

Angelica Lindsey outside, wearing a gold headscarf and matching wrap

Angelica

Lindsey-Ali

Educator, Author, Curator, and Researcher

Marlon Martin wearing tinted glasses and looking straight at the camera

Marlon

Martin

Executive Director of Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement

Co-director of Ifugao Archaeological Project

Anjum Mir wearing a black headscarf with bookshelves behind her

Anjum

Mir

K-12 Educator

Mario Munoz Cayetano wearing a brightly colored shift and straw hat

Mario

Muñoz Cayetano

President Emeritus

Wixárika Union of Ceremonial Centers of Jalisco, Durango, and Nayarit A.C.

Diana Negrin in a casual picture, with sunglasses and a white and red striped shirt

Diana

Negrín da Silva

Associate Director, Wixárika Research Center

Lecturer, University of California, Berkeley

Mustafa Okon Briggs wearing a striped hat and coat

Mustafa

Okon-Briggs

Author and Scholar of West Africa

Alana Joy Okonkwo wearing a black shirt and a blue headband, smiling and looking directly at the camera.

Alana Joy

Okonkwo

Stanford University Graduate

Jerry Philogene wearing a black shirt against a dark grey background

Jerry

Philogene

Associate Professor, Chair of Black Studies Program

Middlebury College

Syona Puliady against a brick background, wearing glasses and smiling

Syona

Puliady

Curator of Textiles of the Eastern Hemisphere

Fowler Museum at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles

Will Rea wearing a blue sweater, a white shirt, and a plaid scarf. The background is a large covered galleria.

Will

Rea

Senior Lecturer

School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies

University of Leeds

formal headshot of Matthew Robb wearing a black suitjacket and white shirt

Matthew H.

Robb

Mesoamerican Specialist

Library of Congress

Allen Roberts with a white mustache and beard, wearing a blue beret

Allen F.

Roberts

Distinguished Professor Emeritus

World Arts and Cultures/Dance, University of California, Los Angeles

Katherine Smith wearing a green top, with a piece of a Myrlande Constant artwork visible behind her

Katherine

Smith

Former Curatorial and Research Associate of Haitian Arts

Fowler Museum at UCLA

Gina Ulysse with bright red hair against a brick background

Gina Athena

Ulysse

Professor, Graduate Director

Feminist Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz

Steven Vose wearing glasses, with a pink shirt and black suit jacket

Steven

Vose

Assistant Professor of Jain Studies, Religious Studies, and History

University of Colorado, Denver

Rudolph Ware wearing a black jacket with elaborate red embroidery

Rudolph T.

Ware

Associate Professor

Department of History, University of California, Santa Barbara

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