2/4/2026 6:30PM

Join us for an evening of conversation and cultural analysis as part of the VOCES Latino Thought Leaders Series with a special focus on BENITO BOWL: Politics & Protest in Bad Bunny’s Music

Latinos of Montclair & Boricuas Unidos en la Diáspora host - in partnership with the Office of Hispanic Intiatives at Montclair State University and the Puerto Rican Student Organization - a layered exploration of how Bad Bunny has used global pop culture to amplify Puerto Rico’s colonial realities, resistance movements, and diasporic identity - all of which will take center stage at Super Bowl LX.

Moderated by Calvin Yohannan from BORICUAS UNIDOS EN LA DIÁSPORA, featuring Ed Morales acclaimed author, journalist, and Columbia University professor, Michael Collazo NJ resident and organizer of PHILLY BORICUAS, and Maricelly Malave from CULTURA PA'LANTE.

Through music, history, and political analysis, the conversation examines how sound becomes political text, how popular culture intersects with colonial power, and why Bad Bunny’s voice resonates so deeply across generations and geographies—especially in this moment.

12/4/2025 6:30-7:30PM

Join us for an evening with Pulitzer Prize–winning author Junot Díaz as part of the VOCES Latino Thought Leaders Series. Junot will reflect on the stories, characters, and cultural forces that have shaped his work and continue to define the Latino experience in America.

Through his acclaimed novels and essays, Díaz explores themes of identity, migration, belonging, and the intergenerational echoes of history.

This fireside chat offers an opportunity for honest conversation, reflection, and connection as we explore what it means to be Latino in this moment and the stories that will shape our collective future.

VOCES, a series by Latinos of Montclair, features this special guest speaker in collaboration with Montclair State University – Department of English.

11/13/2025 6:30-8:30PM

Join us for an evening with award-winning author Cleyvis Natera as she discusses her highly anticipated second novel, The Grand Paloma Resort — a literary thriller with echoes of White Lotus, set against the lush and layered backdrop of the Dominican Republic.

Through her sharp storytelling and deep understanding of identity, privilege, and belonging, Natera explores the intersections of race, class, and power within the Dominican Republic and beyond. Her work invites us to question the stories we inherit, the systems we navigate, and the spaces we claim as our own.

Open Book / Open Mind at the Montclair Public Library.

10.10 6:30-8:30PM

Join us for an inspiring evening with Paola Mendoza and Cindy Rodriguez as they delve into Solis and Sanctuary, exploring the power of storytelling and the role of art in shaping community and resistance.

SANCTUARY and SOLIS illuminate the struggles, hopes, and resistance at the heart of the Latino experience in America. Through these powerful works, Paola Mendoza invites us to reflect on the complexities of immigration, identity, and justice. Challenging us as a nation to imagine a more compassionate future. This fireside chat offers a space for meaningful dialogue, shared understanding, and community connection.