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| Sueno de la Tierra by Chicana artist Emilia Garcia. |
A diverse lineup of events celebrating Latino culture will be held at Cal Poly Pomona throughout May during Xicano Latino Heritage Month: Una Vision, Un Poder, A Reality. Events include an art exhibit, movie screenings and discussions, a theater performance as well as the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Chicano Blowouts.
- The celebration kicked off Thursday, May 1 with a gallery opening reception with Chicana artist Emilia Garcia. Garcia's work will be showcased in the Bronco Student Center Art Gallery through June 13. A second free reception with the artist will be May 27 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the gallery. Her artwork has been exhibited throughout the United States and internationally. Garcia has said, My work is centered on the beauty of our culture, who we are and where we come from. I try to convey images that speak of strength and love through family and celebration all the while focusing on the spirit of women.
- On Tuesday, May 6 at noon, nationally-syndicated cartoonist Lalo Alcarez will provide the months keynote address. His nationally syndicated comic strip, La Cucaracha, has been featured in prominent newspapers around the country. Alcarez will deliver a thought-provoking multimedia presentation and share his wit, subversion, politics, and humanism!
- On Thursday, May 15 at 5 p.m., the film Maquilapolis will be screened in the Bronco Student Centers Orion AB suite. A discussion with the filmmaker will follow the event. Film Screening & Discussion with Filmmaker event in the Bronco Student Centers Orion AB suite. The film follows Carmen who works graveyard shifts in one of Tijuanas maquiladoras the multinationally-owned factories that came to Mexico for its cheap labor. Carmen is one of the many workers who suffer from kidney damage and lead poisoning from her years of exposure to toxic chemicals.
- The film Queer Aztlan will be screened Tuesday, May 20 at 6 p.m. in the Encinitas Residence Hall, located in building 20. The film puts a spotlight on the treatment of gays and women in Mexico. It is co-sponsored by the Pride Center, Weglyn Endowed Chair for Multicultural Studies and University Housing Services.
- On Thursday, May 22 at 7 p.m., Teatro Nueva Alma will present Sin Titulo in the University Plaza. Teatro Nueva Alma is a group of young Latino artists. Their production of Sin Titulo exposes the differences among the many nationalities that make up what is considered Latino culture. The performance is co-sponsored by ASI B.E.A.T. and Hermanos Unidos.
- M.E.Ch.A. and the Latino Faculty, Staff and Student Association will present Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Chicano Blowouts with Sal Castro. Castro is an educator at Lincoln High School who inspired students to organize and participate in the East Los Angeles walkouts, also known as the Chicano Blowouts, which were a series of 1968 protests against unequal conditions in the Los Angeles Unified School District high schools. Castro will join the university in commemorating its historical impact on providing access and equity in education to all students.
For more information, please contact Cecilia Santiago at (909) 869-5039.