Hostos Celebrates Two Decades of Publishing Literary Excellence from the Americas through “Hostos Review / Revista Hostosiana”

(L-R) Guest editors’ panel participants: Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis and Queens College Professors Nora Glickman and Mariana Zinni.

Hostos Community College marked yesterday, November 7, the 20th anniversary of the “Hostos Review / Revista Hostosiana,”  an annual journal showcasing exceptional literary works by authors from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Ibero-America, as well as Latina/o/x writers. The celebration took place at the Hostos Research Center and underscored Hostos’s vital role in shaping the contemporary literary landscape of the Americas. As the flagship publication of the Latin American Writers Institute (LAWI), “Hostos Review” has been a platform for writers from across the hemisphere to present works in Spanish, English, and other languages. 

The event opened with a video tracing the journal’s remarkable two-decade journey, blending archival images of founder and Modern Languages Emeritus Professor Isaac Goldemberg with recent photos from launch events of previous editions of the journal. This visual narrative set a festive and reflective tone for the afternoon’s celebration. 

Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis followed the video and shared, “This is a very special occasion. The journal aims to be an archive of diverse voices, which is in tune with who we are here at Hostos: a place of togetherness and diversity where every voice matters and counts. I am grateful to everyone who continues to make this possible.” 

Provost Wang during her remarks.

Following the President's address, Provost Shiang-Kwei Wang shared her remarks, commending the contributions of the current chief editor and Latin American and Caribbean Studies Professor, Inmaculada Lara-Bonilla. “Her guidance has been central, and these works would not have been published without her dedication. Thank you for refining this unique perspective and honoring the voices of those who came before you."

Afterward, Professor Inmaculada Lara-Bonilla, also Director of LAWI, took the stage and expressed gratitude to Professor Goldemberg and all who have worked to sustain the journal's legacy, which has gathered multiple voices over the years. "We're proud to be a repository of the best Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx literature in the world," she stated, underscoring the journal's commitment to championing voices across borders.

Following the welcoming remarks, the event featured readings from various authors who contributed to various Hostos Review issues. Among those present in person were Judith Santopietro and Hostos English Professor Charles Rice-González, who participated in the first round of readings. Other authors, including Ana Portnoy Brimmer from Puerto Rico, Omar Chauvié from Argentina, and Kristen Millares Young from Washington State, shared video recordings of their work.

 

Judith Santopietro during her reading.

Hostos English Professor Charles Rice-González contributed to the journal’s LGBTQIA+-centered issue. 

The program continued with two brief panels showcasing some guest editors first. The first panel featured President Cocco De Filippis, who co-edited issue 5, focusing on Dominican literature, alongside Professors Nora Glickman and Mariana Zinni from Queens College (QC), who co-edited issue 19 on environmental issues in South America.

(L-R) Professor Glickman, Prof. Lara-Bonilla, Professor William Orchard, and Hostos Chief Librarian Madeline Ford.

The second panel included remarks and brief readings from some of the journal’s CUNY editorial advisory board members. Participants included Professor Glickman, Hostos Chief Librarian Madeline Ford, and QC English Professor William Orchard.

Students who have contributed to the journal’s success read during the celebration. 

The event concluded with student readings, followed by additional recognitions awarded to contributors and supporters of the publication. In the final moments, attendees gathered to celebrate, raising a toast to the journal’s legacy, enjoying refreshments, and mingling in honor of two decades of literary excellence.

Attendees toasted to more years for the journal.  

For more information about the "Hostos Review" and to access past editions, please visit the journal's website here.