Symposium Links White Plains High Students To Latin America

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – White Plains High School students will host an academic symposium April 5 for Latin American author Roberto Quesada, who has visited the school each year since 2002.

Roberto Quesada's work depicts the life and challenges of immigrants in America. He will speak at a symposium at White Plains High School.
Photo Credit: *Brian Donnelly*

by Brian Donnelly

03/21/2013 1:00 p.m.

Each year, teacher Alberto Minotta’s students host a Latin-born guest star who has achieved success in the United States. Minotta created this annual series of academic symposiums in 2002 with Quesada, who has returned each of the last 11 years.

Students organize an academic symposium that focuses on a theme relevant to their visitor's field of expertise. The theme for Quesada’s visit this year will be the difficulties for immigrants in assimilating in a new country or environment, a recurring theme in the Honduran author’s books.

"The stars that I bring are all Latin American, native Latino, and it's done purposefully that way because I want to express to them the importance of maintaining and celebrating their cultural roots," Minotta said. "By bringing in these guest stars, it validates how many opportunities they have in the U.S. and in the New York region to use their bilingual and cultural ability in a very professional setting."

Quesada founded the literary magazine Sobrevuelo, and his book “Never Through Miami” is one of the Top 20 best-selling Hispanic-American novels.

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