BOONE, N.C. — On September 26, 2023, Appalachian State University welcomed Chilean-born visual storyteller and community activist Rodrigo Dorfman for a public lecture titled “The Making of the Nuevo South.” The event, held at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Lecture Hall, was co-sponsored by the Center for Appalachian Studies, the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, the Department of Sociology, and the Turchin Center.
Dorfman, known for his work documenting the Great Latino Migration to the American South, shared stories from his multimedia projects that explore how Latino immigrant communities are shaping and redefining the modern South, including the Southern Appalachian Mountains. His lecture examined the complexities of cultural preservation, tradition, and belonging while living between worlds, and challenged attendees to consider more community-centered, collaborative approaches to storytelling.
The event highlighted Dorfman’s recent and ongoing work, including his docu-memoir Generation Exile (Arte Público Press) and the PBS/POV premiere of his North Carolina–filmed documentary Bulls and Saints.
Adapted from original event post: https://cas.appstate.edu/news/september-26-making-nuevo-south-rodrigo-dorfman