Theme: The Pulse of Hope: Power and Praxis · El Pulso de la Esperanza: Poder y Praxis · O Pulso da Esperança: Poder e Práxis

A celebration of how we thrive. How do we keep lifting each other higher? How do we honor our heritage while growing into the future? How do we show up for one another in ways that keep our communities vibrant, connected, and full of life? The answer is already unfolding all around us — in classrooms and cultural centers, in art studios and town halls, in the everyday acts of care, creativity, and connection woven into the fabric of our neighborhoods. LatinxConnect 2026 is where we come together to celebrate, amplify, and learn from all of it.

During this semester, 10 University of Pittsburgh undergraduate students served as virtual mentors to 11 students in Myanmar participating in the Stars Do Shine program. Stars Do Shine is a Burmese organization that prepares students to take online high school equivalency exams so they can apply to college.

As part of the mentorship, Pitt and Stars Do Shine students collaboratively produced a documentary that will be showing in the Global Hub on April 17.The documentary examines the collapse of education in Myanmar following the 2021 military coup. Using local interviews, the documentary highlights educational challenges faced by students in four communities: an urban town in Myanmar, a rural area in Myanmar, an active conflict zone, and a refugee community along the Thai border.

The Stars Do Shine students will be joining remotely, and the Pitt mentors will be on hand to answer questions. Pizza and drinks will be served and OCC and Global Distinction credits will be available.

Mikhail Minakov is a political philosopher whose research focuses on political systems, historical consciousness, and democratic transformation in post‑Soviet and global contexts. He is currently a DAAD Guest Professor at the European University Viadrina and Editor‑in‑Chief of Ideology and Politics. From 2017 to 2025, Minakovserved as Senior Advisor and Principal Investigator on Ukraine at the Kennan Institute. His scholarship and policy work examine how international norms, multilateral institutions, and political ideologies shape state behavior during crises. Minakov brings a comparative and philosophical perspective to questions of why global commitments to prevent mass atrocities repeatedly falter in practice.

This mini-course will explore the major forces shaping the global landscape over the next half-century including the role of a rising China, equipping participants with the tools to critically analyze and teach about transformative global trends. Through a multi-disciplinary lens, the weekend course examines how emerging technologies, demographic transitions, shifting economies, and global health and environmental challenges intersect to redefine power, security, and opportunity worldwide. This mini course will not attempt to predict how the future will unfold but will highlight some of the important issues of today that will transform the world on the global, regional, national, and local levels over the next fifty years.