Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), a Maricopa Community College, will begin its annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration on September 16, 2008 in partnership with Core Construction, Hispanic Leadership Forum del Oeste, and the college's International and Intercultural Education Division and Visual Exhibition program. A variety of events will be held at the college throughout the months of September and October promoting the importance of your voice in the political process, as well as several other unifying themes regarding civic engagement, service learning and more. All events are free and open to the public.
Opening Ceremonies; Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Opening ceremonies will be held on Mexican Independence Day, Tuesday, September 16, 2008, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Ceremonial Plaza. There will be a welcome speech given by Estrella Mountain Community College's President, Dr. Ernest Lara, followed by a Proclamation given by the Mayor of Avondale, Marie Lopez-Rogers. There will be entertainment and a showing of A History of Hispanic Achievement in America, a documentary about "the achievements, heroic exploits, ceaseless courage and the remarkable discoveries of Hispanic immigrants from all over the world who have become part of the diverse fiber of this nation." The film will be shown in the Plaza Gallery from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The morning events are hosted by Estrella Mountain Community College's Student Life office and student members of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (M.E.Ch.A.).
Reception and Art Walk; Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The day's events will continue at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a "Usanda Nuestra Voz Reception and Art Walk." This event will include a reception, held in the Plaza Gallery featuring Delia Torres, Educating the Heart program coordinator from the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation as the keynote speaker, a light dinner, and a musical performance by a local mariachi group. Following the reception, Estrella Mountain employees, students, and community members are invited to participate in an art walk - viewing Soy Americano: Contemporary Chicana/o Political and Civic Art, the first art show of the 2008-2009 visual exhibition season at EMCC. Planned to align with the 2008 political campaign, the exhibition features contemporary Chicana/o artists who have employed their talent as visual voice - advocating for and commenting on civic and political issues. The exhibition is made possible through a partnership with the Arizona State University Hispanic Research Center and features artwork from their extensive collection. The exhibition will be displayed in art cases in Estrella and Komatke Halls September 10, 2008 - November 3, 2008.
Educating the Heart; Saturday, September 20, 2008
Estrella Mountain has partnered with the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation to bring "Educating the Heart" activities to the campus. "Educating the Heart" is a program that engages students in a unique teaching and learning experience that integrates community service with academic study based on Chavez's principles to enrich learning and to combat academic and civic disengagement among youth. Several Estrella Mountain students will also participate in a teacher training activity, sponsored by the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation on Saturday, September 20, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in the college's Plaza Gallery. Participants will learn how our schools can teach Chavez's principles through service-learning projects and civic engagement in partnership with West Valley schools. These projects will be highlighted at the college's annual Cesar E. Chavez Luncheon in April.
Area teachers are encouraged to attend the September 20 training session. It is free and teachers will receive resource guides that are linked to Arizona Curricular Content Standards as well as a Cesar E. Chavez toolbox containing CD's, books, and posters, etc. to help supplement classroom lessons. Interested teachers must register for the training by contacting Delia Torres, Educating the Heart program coordinator, at 602-272-0080, ext. 2, or via email at [email protected].
(Additional events for the month of October will follow.)
The month-long activities will expose students and community members to experiential learning opportunities so that they may develop themselves as ethical leaders in a diverse and global society, define their place in the local community, be aware of the political processes around the globe, and participate in civic engagement at a local level. The numerous opportunities for participants to establish community partnerships will also enhance the experience and life-long commitment to engaging in your community.