Skip navigation Syracuse University Humanities Center

Beyond the Dress: Quinceañera Dreams and Cultural Identity

Yamile Saied Mendez

Time: Oct. 22, 2026, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Location: La Casita, 109 Otisco Street

Part of the Syracuse Symposium

Part of the Syracuse Symposium series.

Join author Yamile Saied Méndez for an engaging conversation exploring how the quinceañera tradition shapes identity, family, memory, and belonging across generations. Drawing on her acclaimed books Dreaming of a Quinceañera and Twice a Quinceañera, Méndez examines the cultural significance of this coming-of-age ritual, followed by an audience Q&A and an opportunity for participants to share their own stories and reflections. A reception with Latin American refreshments concludes the evening, inviting continued conversation and community connection.