Since meeting Chloe, she has added so much grace and kindness into my life. As a previous member and Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus, Chloe taught me everything I know. Her way of working hard and sharing her wonderful smile wherever she goes is truly inspiring. Sharing her involvement with ISU is something I am honored to do, especially after Latin Heritage Month just came to a close on October 15th. Here’s our exclusive interview where you can get to learn more about Chloe’s beautiful soul and self!
Name: Chloe Kasper
Age: 21
Major: Public Relations
Minor(s): Latin American and Latino/a Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies
Hometown: Chicago Ridge, IL
Fun Fact: I know every word to every song in Disney’s Frozen!
Hobbies: Practicing yoga, watching too many romantic-comedies, and reading!
Her Campus ISU: Chloe! We are so excited to talk to you about your involvement with the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program at ISU. What are three words that describe the program in your eyes?
Chloe Kasper: “Dedicated, good-natured and sociable! The Latin American and Latino/a Studies program is committed to creating safe spaces for students to learn about the issues relating to Latin Americans and Latino/as and Latin American and Latino/a culture in general. The safe spaces created by the program, such as through the minor courses and program events, are always intimate and foster positive action among the people there. Overall, the program is an extremely informative and encouraging outlet to be a part of!”
HC: Why did you decide to declare the Latin American and Latino/a Studies minor? Does it relate to you personally?
CK: “During the first semester of my freshman year, I took SOC 109, Introduction to Latin American and Latino/a Studies, as a way to explore and learn more about my identity as a Latina. By the end of the class, however, I gained more than I could have ever dreamed of from it! The content covered in the course spanned a wide range of topics, from politics to popular culture, and I gained more than an exploration of my personal identity. The class opened my mind to new concepts and perspectives that I would have never experienced outside of this class. These experiences set the foundation for my college career and have helped me personally, academically and professionally.”
HC: What’s your role in the program today? What do you do?
CK: “Along with being a student in the minor, I am now the intern for the Latin American and Latino/a Studies program. In this position I am tasked with duties that relate to my public relations major, including writing, social media management, recruitment, media relations and event planning for the program. The program puts on many events throughout the year and one of our largest events is going on as we speak! In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, the program hosts semester-long celebration of Latinx Heritage through a series of events on campus. With that being said, my duties right now revolve around this ongoing celebration, so you will definitely see me at our upcoming events!”
HC: Why is it important for students to know about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy? Can they help immigrant families more than they know?
CK: “It is important for students to know about DACA and the recent events surrounding it because they hold the power to make a change for the future. Whether or not they know someone affected by DACA personally, students definitely can help more than they know. One way they can begin helping is by educating themselves and others on what DACA is and does. This education can then give rise to action, and that is what is needed the most to create change. DACA effects so many people, and beyond those who are ‘DACA-mented.’ It affects entire families and communities. Education and action are crucial to protecting these individuals, their families, and communities across the nation. It is also crucial to making improvements to DACA, or immigration policies in general, in a way that includes a path to citizenship. All of this starts with education and action among people, and especially among young people like students.”
HC: For our readers, can you explain the newly coined term “Latinx”?
CK: “In order to understand the term ‘latinx’ and the work that it does you first need to know a little about the Spanish language. Spanish is a gendered language, so nouns are either masculine or feminine. An example of this would be ‘latino’ and ‘latina.’ Spanish also genders people. This means that the language defaults to a particular form, and in Spanish it is the masculine form. An example of this would be when you use the term ‘latinos’ to describe a group of men and women. With this in mind, the term ‘latinx’ seeks to eliminate the use of gendered terms in this way and be more inclusive. The term ‘latinx’ recognizes that gender is a spectrum, not a binary, and in doing so is more inclusive of those who are not recognized in the binary.”
HC: What are some of your favorite ways that you celebrate Latinx Heritage Month?
CK: “One of my favorite ways to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month is by attending the events the Latin American and Latino/a Studies program puts on! Over the years I have learned so much from attending these events during Latinx Heritage Month, and met so many interesting people, many of whom are now my friends. I could not be more grateful of the experiences I have had because of the people and events the program has brought to campus. They have truly changed my life!”
HC: How do you get involved with the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program?
CK: “Getting involved with the Latin American and Latino/a Studies Program is as easy as visiting our office in Williams Hall and expressing your interest! We have a website and Facebook page students can visit to learn more about the program, minor, upcoming events, affiliated student organizations and study abroad opportunities. Attending program events is also a great way to get involved! Otherwise students can contact me, Acting Director Dr. Juliet Lynd or advisor Janet Claus for more information.”
HC: To anyone interested in this program, what advice would you give them?
CK: “The advice I would give to someone interested in the program is to attend one of our program events! Our events provide the perfect space to talk to others in the program to see what it is all about! Whether it is a student, a professor or a guest speaker, anyone involved in the program can help you learn more about it and give you multiple perspectives to think about!”
Thank you so much for sharing with us Chloe! For anyone who’s interested about the minor Chloe talked about, checkout the website at this link: https://latinostudies.illinoisstate.edu/