Toronto’s Cuban community gathered on July 7 for a Community Conversation, hosted by two York University Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LAPS) professors, to address issues of culture and identity surrounding their island nation.

Spanish language and culture Professor Julio Fonseca from the Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics, alongside the department’s Chair, Professor Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano, invited the community to attend “Cuba en el Siglo XXI: Cultura e Identidad en movimiento/Cuba, XXI Century: Culture and Identity in Motion” at the Lillian H. Smith Toronto Public Library.

The professors led the debate about stereotypes and preconceived notions of Cuban culture and identity, as well as constructs of Cuban identities before and after 1959, and the implications of the Cuban Revolution in the development of a new culture that is inclusive and participatory. The dialogue provided an opportunity to discuss these important tenets of Cuban society, beyond the typical attributes, such as salsa, rumba, cigars, rum and sunshine.

Read the full YFile article here.