Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) was founded in 1995 and brings together over forty Stony Brook faculty from diverse fields, including Africana Studies, Art, History, Ecology & Evolution, Hispanic Languages & Literature, Political Science, School of Journalism, Sociology, Theater Arts,  and Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies. From its early years, LACS has contributed with new perspectives to Stony Brook's research, teaching and community engagement. Notably, the center received a prestigious Rockefeller Foundation Humanities award for the project “Durable Inequality in Latin America,” which brought leading scholars from across the Americas to collaborate on this issue and resulted in a groundbreaking book on inequality studies.

LACS also promotes cultural and artistic engagement through initiatives like the LACS gallery, which has served as a Long Island space for Latin American and Latinx arts. Exhibitions such as the prize-winning "Unseen America", a documentary photography project created by Latinx day-workers, exemplify its commitment to support underrepresented voices.

The center supports students through a range of opportunities, including Research Summer Grants for graduate students, and the Mariposa Award for both graduate and undergraduate students pursuing studies on Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition to its robust cultural progrramming, the center also hosts an active speaker series and an annual student-run graduate series that attracts young scholars from across the hemisphere. These events often involve collaborations with prominent universities such as NYU, Columbia, The New School, and CUNY Graduate Center, while others bring community leaders to campus on key issues affecting Latinx communities today. The LACS Gallery became a Long Island showcase for Latin American and Latino arts, including the prize-winning show “Unseen America,” a documentary photography made by Latino day-workers.