LACC at 40: Frank Mora on the center’s accomplishments— and the work ahead The Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center celebrated the 40th anniversary of its founding by then-professor Mark B. Rosenberg, today the university’s president. Frank Mora, who led the center until June 2020, brought real-world credentials to the job of director, previously serving as U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Western Hemisphere from 2009–2013.
the Department of Defense in which we are part of a team of scholars publishing studies that offer forecasts so that the DoD can better plan with regard to the Caribbean, Central America and South America.
What is your proudest accomplishment since taking the helm? In 2014 LACC was awarded the National Resource Center/Title VI designation, which was renewed in 2018. The center had previously shared the designation in partnership with other institutions. But now we stand on our own. This U.S. Department of Education designation recognizes ours as one of the top centers for the study of Latin America and the Caribbean in the country. It raises our profile and reputation at the national and international levels.
Kimberly Green talks a lot about the importance of cultural competency, in places like Haiti, in order for programs to succeed. Why is this so important and how does LACC contribute to this concept for its students? My job at the center is to insist that we give our students an understanding of why studying Latin America is so important in today’s world, especially in a world that is much more globalized and interdependent than ever before. We as Americans tend to look at things in these cookie cutter ways. But we cannot make a fair, educated assessment of how or what is required if we don’t understand the reality on the ground.
You have worked in both the academic and the policy worlds. How has LACC been successfully able to contribute to both? One of my objectives has been to bridge what we do at the center—the intellectual work—with President Rosenberg’s idea of the university as a solutions center. I want to leverage our expert scholars and bring their research to bear on the challenges of the day. Rather than be an observer, a commentator on the world, we want to be at the table and engage on these issues. In addition, LACC’s participation in helping formulate real-world policies gives us opportunities to apply for grants and contracts with a number of government agencies, and that’s brought opportunities for students. An excellent example is our contract with 8
For example, if we want to students to understand Haiti, we need to offer them opportunities to study in Haiti, to learn the language in Haiti. That kind of background will serve them well whether they go on to advise government, an NGO or the private sector. They will know the DNA of the country. They will know the language, they will have visited, lived or studied in the region. They will have real onthe-ground understanding, and that’s something you can’t learn so easily
from a book or a course. You said in 2013 that you wanted LACC to be the “center of gravity for all academic and policy discussions about Latin America and the Caribbean.” How has LACC succeeded in that goal? It’s a work in progress. I think we’ve moved in that direction. For example, one of the biggest issues in Latin America is corruption and governance. So one of the priority research areas for LACC is this issue of governance and security and briefing government people in the region on these issues. And they are beginning to come to us and ask for our help. That type of interaction helps us leverage other things and gives us excellent access for our students. In another example, we have former Costa Rican president Luis Guillermo Solis teaching a class of 20 students— giving them access to a former head of state who can tell them about the practical side of governing a country is invaluable.
Florida International University | Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs
