Thomas Jesús Garza is Associate Professor in the Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies and Founding Director of the College of Liberal Arts Texas Language Center at the University of Texas at Austin. He teaches courses on Russian language and culture, world literatures, and Russian popular culture.  Between 1979 and 2020, he travelled frequently to Russia and lived in Moscow for several years.  He received his doctorate from Harvard University in 1987. During his more than 30-year tenure at U Texas, he has received numerous prizes for undergraduate and graduate teaching and was inducted into the University Academy of Distinguished Teachers in 2003, selected for a U Texas Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award in 2009, and chosen a “Texas Top Ten” instructor by the Texas Exes in 2018. He has published articles in Modern Language Journal, Foreign Language Annuals, Slavic and East European Journal, Russian Language Journal, and Current History. He recently completed a book manuscript on filmic portraits of machismo in contemporary Russian and Mexican cultures and is currently working on a new project on Russian actor and bard Vladimir Vysotsky in the Americas in the 1970s, and a co-edited volume on decolonizing Russian studies in the U.S. with Rachel Stauffer.

Did you know that you speak Taíno? From the hammocks we relax in and the foods we enjoy, to everyday words and even blockbuster films like Avatar, the Taíno Indigenous people’s influence is all around us—yet many Americans have never heard of Taíno! As the first Indigenous Americans ​of contact​ in 1492, the Taíno have a profound, yet often overlooked, linguistic legacy that continues to shape our world today.

Join us as we explore the inspiring efforts of Taíno descendants who are revitalizing their linguistic and cultural heritage through language-learning apps, ​3D printed robots, virtual classrooms​ and conferences, and ​other innovative technologies that help new generations ​reconnect to their ​cultural roots​ and ​remove educational barriers​, making the Taíno language accessible worldwide​​.

Priscilla Colón, Founder of Casa Areyto and Co-chair of Ad-hoc Group 1 for UNESCO’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages, will lead this interactive presentation on the Taíno origins of many words, foods, and traditions that continue to shape our culture today. She will also highlight the remarkable projects driving the resurgence of the Taíno language and expanding awareness across cultures and continents. A Q&A session will follow, offering a deeper dive into this vibrant movement.