Cockrell Staff Member Advocates for Quechua Language and Heritage

From the remote Peruvian village of her childhood, where she spoke Quechua with her grandmother, to the bustling streets of Lima and all the way to the Forty Acres, Luz Vargas’ roots have shaped her cultural advocacy work as well as professional endeavors in the Cockrell School of Engineering. Her cultural and creative endeavors reflect a deep commitment to preserving Indigenous language and identity.  

“Quechua is the most spoken Indigenous language in South America, but there are other languages, too. And many of them are fading away,” Vargas said. 

At the Cockrell School, Vargas is an invaluable resource in the Office of the Associate Dean for Research, where she manages communications, scheduling, travel and budgets. She also assists with the UT-Portugal Program and helps plan research-related events for the Cockrell community and visits from industry leaders and other research institutions.  

After moving from Peru, Vargas felt distant from her native language. The experience sparked a realization: She didn’t just want to keep speaking Quechua — she wanted to celebrate it, share it and help others reconnect with it.  

Since then, her advocacy has taken different forms. In 2019, Vargas started the account @qichwata_rimay on Instagram. She also collaborates with professors to create educational materials in Quechua and participates in language-centered activities and events.  

“Other Quechua advocates spoke up and had been well received, but on the other side, there were those who said Quechua is a spoken language only, and it’s not going to survive,” Vargas said. “People connected to their roots have responded positively to these advocates, especially in Peru.” 

Other Indigenous language specialists on campus agreed. In 2021, with the help of the College of Liberal Arts, Quechua was provisionally added to the course roster of the Indigenous Languages Initiative (ILI), offered by the Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies. ILI classes are taught by experienced native speakers, ensuring that students receive an immersive experience in the language and culture. 

Vargas’ passion for language has even reached outer space. She participated as language reviewer for The Humans Project, an MIT initiative that recorded people around the world speaking about the meaning of space in their native languages. Vargas translated Quechua recordings that were later launched into space 

“It was short, but it was really interesting and sweet,” Vargas said. “I felt thankful for knowing the language and being able to review it.”  

For more information on Luz Vargas’ work, visit the Cockrell School of Engineering Magazine.