Undergraduate art student Sabrina Haertig was inspired to create a migrations sculpture after participating in this semester’s Contemporary Issues in Latin-Latino America fall seminar series (LATA 4000/6000).

The sculpture entitled S.1200—99th Congress., takes its name from “the 1986 immigration reform act that was passed by the Reagan administration that essentially criminalized migration,” she said. Using steel and other mixed materials, the work depicts variously sized pieces of luggage that mimic cages as a commentary on migration and immigrant detainment.

The seminar, led by the Latin American Studies Program’s director Kenneth Roberts, featured a series of lectures from speakers on migration, borders, and racial justice issues. Some of these speakers include Beth Jorgensen and Abby Cordova.

“This course has been transformative towards my research [as a Rawlings Cornell Presidential Research Scholar] and now I am sure to have picked up the habit of attending LATA lectures out of curiosity for my remaining semesters at Cornell,” she said.

LASP will hold the seminar series again in spring 2021 for students of any level and discipline. Sign up now!