News and Events

Aug. 3, 2026

Cambio de Colores 2026 

Thank you all! ¡Muchas gracias! ✨  On behalf of the Cambio Center, we want to thank everyone involved in the 2026 Cambio de Colores Conference: “En Comunidad We Rise”, held June 3–5 in Columbia, Missouri.   Did you know that during the three days of the conference, we: This is amazing! And it was thanks to your fantastic engagement. Thank you to all the organizers and participants for your time, expertise, and passion. We hope you found the conference both energizing and worthwhile. We look forward to staying connected and hope to see you at Cambio de Colores 2027, hosted in Kansas City, Missouri, June 2027!  If you would like to be part of our planning…

Aug. 3, 2026

Cambio Fellow Spotlight: Alejandra

COLUMBIA, Mo—While many people attend community events, Alejandra Gudiño is usually the one introducing strangers, translating conversations, and making sure everyone feels welcome. Whether she’s volunteering at a local event or helping a newcomer find resources, she has become a trusted resource for Columbia’s Latino community. But Gudiño’s story didn’t begin in Missouri. It began in Córdoba, Argentina, where she spent her childhood before moving to Colombia. Then, years later, she relocated to Mexico City to study archaeology, never imagining that her journey would eventually lead her to Columbia, Missouri. Now, living in Columbia, over the…

June 15, 2026

Educar el futuro desde hoy – Educating the Future Today

CIIDE, the International Research Center for the Development of Education, and their partner university in Colombia, Uniminuto, is one of Cambio Center’s core partners. We were thrilled to welcome our Uniminuto colleagues to the 2026 Cambio de Colores conference, where they presented on their vision for the future of education. What follows is a guest newsletter post about this important work. UNIMINUTO apuesta por una educación innovadora, inclusiva y transformadora UNIMINUTO’s Commitment to Innovative, Inclusive, and Transformative Education Hablar del futuro de la educación no significa esperar a que llegue. Significa…

May 21, 2026

The 2026 Spark Change Nominees Are…

Cambio Center’s “Spark Change” Award celebrates individuals who inspire change through their research and/or outreach focused on Latines/Hispanics, immigrant integration, and communities undergoing demographic change. With this award, we recognize the resilience, innovation, and impactful contributions of individuals who actively work toward bridging divides, amplifying underrepresented voices, and fostering sustainable change within diverse communities. Meet this year’s nominations! Esmeralda Aharon is a retired U.S. Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer; she served 26 years in the Chaplain Corps, leading intercultural, crisis, and interfaith initiatives across diverse and rapidly changing communities, including during four deployments to the Middle East. At Saint…

Jan. 29, 2026

Dual Language Leadership

February 13, 2026 Supported by the Cambio Center and Midwest Dual Language Alliance, this year kicks off a new Midwest Dual Language Leadership Fellowship, a 4-month leadership and learning experience designed to deepen dual language educators’ and leaders’ impact as change agents specifically within the Midwest region. Applications are due February 13, 11:59 CT — apply here! [Application is now closed.] Who should apply?: Current dual language educators, coordinators, instructional coaches, and leaders committed to personal development and interested in cultivating a community network. (Note: Preference will be given to educators who currently do not…

Jan. 18, 2026

Stories of Resilience

February 10, 2026 Stories of Resilience – An Asian American Legacy is a Evening of Storytelling to be held on February 10 at 6 pm at Webster University, Browning Hall auditorium, 8274 Big Bend Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63119. This is a companion to the national traveling exhibit, Resilience—A Sansei Sense of Legacy, sponsored by the St. Louis Japanese American Citizens League at the STL Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum. As part of Cambio Center’s year-long storytelling festival funded by the Missouri Humanities, we are proud to support this event, which aims to develop greater access…

Oct. 6, 2025

Symposium on Latin America

October 7, 2025 The Cambio Center is pleased to partner with the International Center for the Development of Education (CIIDE) for the 3rd Annual Symposium on Interdisciplinary Research on Latin American Studies: Tuesday, October 14th, 1-4 pm, in Townsend Hall 223 or via Zoom. For more information or the Zoom Link, please email cambio@missouri.edu. Presentations include results from Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States. Researchers are based on the University of Missouri (United States) and Uniminuto (Colombia). Our amazing presenters include the following. Read the full abstracts below: Mother’s Background and…

Sep. 10, 2025

Hispanic Heritage Events 2025

September 15-October 15 Below is a list of public events around the University of Missouri system for this year! In addition, on October 8th, Cambio Center is hosting a Fellows Encuentro, a meeting designed to share research, network with colleagues, introduce new fellows, and make plans for collaboration. If you’re interested in joining, please email cambio @ missouri.edu to learn about our fellows program. Monarchs in Action Showcase – UMSL  📅 Tuesday, September 16   🕛 5pm – 7pm  📍 University of Missouri-St. Louis: Millennium Student Center, Century…

Sep. 10, 2025

Storytelling Awards and Events

September 11, 2025 The Cambio Center is excited to share that we have granted eight incredible awards to keep the Cambio Storytelling Festival alive throughout the year! One of them is for a special storytelling event called Raices y Recuerdos, which was awarded to a community-based Latina moms-led support group. Another, called Alomi pa pa pa – Tales by Moonlight Across Oceans, centers on the oral storytelling traditions of the Igala people, a vibrant Nigerian ethnic group whose diaspora thrives in Missouri, particularly in Columbia.  An important focus of the awards is to support interactions between…

Sep. 3, 2025

Change is Constant

September 4, 2025 The Cambio Center welcomes you to a new school year, 2025-2026. If there is one thing that stays the same, it is change. This year, we have a host of new fellows to integrate, and two new board members (announcements coming soon!). In addition, two of our founding board members are moving to an “emeritus” status within our center, Drs. Corinne Valdivia and Lisa Flores. We want to say a special thank you to Dr. Valdivia, in particular, as she also retires from her DECADES of work at the University of Missouri-Columbia. We…