IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6-1-06 CONTACT: TRINI TOLAR 538-6416
SILVER CITY--A group of internationally-known scholars and artists are coming to Silver City June 8 through the 17th for a Chicano Institute at Western New Mexico University. The theme of the Institute is Chicano/a Voices Designing the Future.
The presenters include Luis Valdez, founder of Teatro Campesino. Known as the father of Chicano theater, he directed La Bamba, the popular film about Richie Valens and Zoot Suit, the first play on Broadway written and produced by a Mexican American.
Denise Chavez is the author of major novels such as Face of an Angel, a Book of the Month Selection that won an American Book Award.
Lilvia Soto who directed La Casa Latina at the University of Pennsylvania, is a poet whose work has been published throughout Latin America, in the United States, and in Spain.
Cordelia Chávez Candelaria of Arizona State University will give the keynote address – “Affirming Chicana/o Latina/o Studies from Sea to Shining Si.” – on Friday evening, June 9, at 7 p.m.
Valdez will direct a workshop on dramatic arts for all ages on Saturday, June 10, from 10 a.m. to noon and will give a keynote address at 7 that evening. Both events will be held at the WNMU Fine Arts Center Theatre.
An Evening with Denise Chavez, featuring some of her own works, will begin at 7 Monday evening, June 12, at the Besse-Forward Global Resource Center Auditorium.
Soto will conduct a poetry workshop daily, June 12 through June 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. The initial two sessions will be held at the Global Resource Center Auditorium.
Other highlights include a presentation of equestrian art by Olympic award-winner Jose Luis Perez Soto and the Ballet Folklorico, directed by Jose Tena. Billed as
the Family Fandango, both events will take place at the Old James Stadium on campus on Sunday, June 11, throughout the day, from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Professor Gloria Maya of WNMU will lead a workshop on non-toxic, monotype printmaking for families from June 8 through June 10 at the McCray Arts Building. The workshop may be taken for academic credit.
Patricia Manzanares-Gonzales, Dean of the School of Education at WNMU, will speak on Chicanos in Leadership at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 12, at the Besse- Forward Global Resource Center Auditorium.
Tuesday, June 13, will be devoted to the topic of Chicanos in Health. At 10 a.m., Felipe Gonzalez, a school psychologist from Las Vegas, NM will speak on Chicanos’ Mental Health and the Schools. Dr. Gilbert Arizaga will give a presentation on Alternative Medicine at 6 p.m., and Andres Rodriguez of the WNMU faculty and Soaring Hawk will speak on the Mexican Indigenous Way of Life at 7 p.m.
On Wednesday, June 14, there will be presentations on Chicanos and Social Justice and Chicanos in Leadership. Luis Quiñones will speak at 2 p.m. and Mark Kamimura-Jimenez will speak on Chicanos in Higher Education at 7 p.m. at the GRC Auditorium.
Chicanos in Science will be featured on Thursday, June 15, with a presentation by Zenaido Camacho of WNMU at 2 p.m. A musical group, Las Flores del Valle, from Albuquerque, will present a performance of Corridos, on the struggles and strengths of Chicana women throughout history, at 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Theatre.
On Friday, June 16, Maria Trillo of WNMU will give a presentation on oral history at 10 a.m. and David Baker of WNMU will present a documentary film on border issues at 10 a.m. with Miguel Valenzuela and Leonardo Lopez Chaviera, two artists from El Paso and Juarez. George Gonzalez, from the University of Texas, will speak on Second Language Acquisition for Students at Risk at 5 p.m. in the GRC Auditorium. An artist’s reception will be held for Miguel Valenzuela beginning at 7 p.m. at the GRC lobby followed by a computer-generated music performance by Leonardo Chaviera at the Fine Arts Center Theatre.
On Saturday, June 17, at 10 a.m., Magdaleno Manzanarez, Trinidad Tolar, and Bill Charland will speak on Border Issues in the Global Resource Center Auditorium. Elvia Diaz will follow with a program on Chicanos in the Media at 11 a.m. in the Auditorium. At 1 p.m., Julio Dominguez, Director of Testing at the U.S. Army Test Center in Yuma, Ariz. will speak on Chicanos in the federal government, in the Auditorium.
Professor Patricia Cano will speak on Heritage Language at 2 p.m. in the GRC Auditorium, followed by a panel discussion by students, community members, and the WNMU Chicano Faculty Caucus on the Institute theme: Chicano/a Voices Designing the Future. The Institute will conclude at 7 p.m. in the GRC Auditorium with the premiere showing of the Mexican film, Con Lujo de Detalle. Hector Falcon, the filmmaker, will respond to the audience after the showing.
All events are free and open to the public. For further information, call the WNMU School of Education at 538-6416. The full schedule is posted on the Western New Mexico University web site: www.wnmu.edu.
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