Rosa M. Cabrera

Rosa M. Cabrera, Ph.D., serves as Executive Director of the Rafael Cintrón Ortiz Latino Cultural Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and holds an adjunct faculty appointment in the Department of Anthropology, Graduate College, Department of Latin American and Latino Studies, and Museum and Exhibition Studies. Her work bridges environmental and climate justice with community engagement, emphasizing the role of cultural institutions in addressing systemic inequities.

Dr. Cabrera earned her Doctorate in Anthropology and B.A. in Design from UIC. Her research focuses on environmental justice, museum praxis, and community-driven solutions, particularly through arts and humanities methodologies. She has led initiatives like the Chicago Cultural Alliance and the Heritage Garden at UIC, linking sustainability to cultural diversity and social justice.

Her current projects include the Humanities Action Lab’s “Climates of Inequality” exhibit, which highlights local environmental justice narratives, such as Pilsen’s La Villita story developed with students and LVEJO. She is also a Keller Science Action Center Associate at the Field Museum and a Mellon Faculty Fellow.

Key contributions include her dissertation on ethnic museums and community identity, her role in the Chicago Climate Action Plan (2009–2011), and collaborations with organizations like Alianza Americas. Her work underscores the intersection of environmental and social justice in marginalized communities.