Empty Bowls Raises Thousands of Dollars to Fight Local Hunger

Chandler-Gilbert Community College raised over $5,700 for AZCEND, formerly Chandler Christian Community Center, to assist families in need of food at the 5th Annual Empty Bowls event on Tuesday, October 24th. The event was sponsored by members of Student Life and the Service-Learning Office. Attendees purchased handmade ceramic bowls for $10 made by the CGCC service-learning ceramic students with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting AZCEND.

"We cannot thank our ceramics faculty and students enough for sharing their art in such a unique way,” said Alexandra Cannell-Wendt, Service-Leaning Coordinator at CGCC. “For every $20 raised, CGCC was to provide $100 worth of food to AZCEND. We are also thankful for nutrition students and faculty who helped serve soup and bread, our donors, and AZCEND for partnering to help end food insecurity in our community.”

Event attendees were served a 300-calorie meal which included a cup of hot soup and a bread roll donated by Dilly's Deli and Liberty Market. This small portion meal was meant to signify the average number of calories a food-insecure person eats in one day.

Empty Bowls at CGCC is part of a district-wide fundraiser that raises funds for families in support of World Food Day (October 16), a day of action for people around the world to come together to declare their commitment to eradicate hunger.

AZCEND’s mission and vision is to change lives by nourishing minds and bodies to create a connected thriving community and to have a healthy and productive community built on a foundation of dignity and hope. Each year AZCEND distributes over 15,000 food boxes locally with enough food to feed 50,000 adults and children. For more information about AZCEND visit www.azcend.org.

Empty Bowls Raises Funds to Fight Local Hunger

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) raised over $5,700 for AZCEND, formerly Chandler Christian Community Center, to assist families in need of food at the 5^th Annual Empty Bowls event on Tuesday, October 24^th. The event was sponsored by members of Student Life and the Service-Learning Office. Attendees purchased handmade ceramic bowls for $10 made by the CGCC service-learning ceramic students with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting AZCEND.

 

"We cannot thank our ceramics faculty and students enough for sharing their art in such a unique way,” said Alexandra Cannell-Wendt, Service-Leaning Coordinator at CGCC. “For every $20 raised, CGCC was to provide $100 worth of food to AZCEND. We are also thankful for nutrition students and faculty who helped serve soup and bread, our donors, and AZCEND for partnering to help end food insecurity in our community.”

 

Event attendees were served a 300-calorie meal which included a cup of hot soup and a bread roll donated by Dilly's Deli and Liberty Market. This small portion meal was meant to signify the average number of calories a food-insecure person eats in one day.

 

Empty Bowls at CGCC is part of a district-wide fundraiser that raises funds for families in support of World Food Day (October 16), a day of action for people around the world to come together to declare their commitment to eradicate hunger.

 

AZCEND’s mission and vision is to change lives by nourishing minds and bodies to create a connected thriving community and to have a healthy and productive community built on a foundation of dignity and hope. Each year AZCEND distributes over 15,000 food boxes locally with enough food to feed 50,000 adults and children. For more information about AZCEND visit www.azcend.org.

 

 

 

 

CGCC’s David Muñoz Receives Alberto Ríos Literary/Arts Award

The Victoria Foundation to honor Muñoz for his literary contributions

Chandler-Gilbert Community College is pleased to announce that Dr. David Muñoz, Residential Philosophy and Religious Studies faculty member has been named the recipient of the Albert Ríos, Outstanding Literary/Arts award by The Victoria Foundation. This award, named after the renowned Arizona poet and long-time Arizona State University professor Alberto Ríos, recognizes the contributions of local educators who have made a significant impact on literacy and art in education.

“I am honored to receive the Alberto Ríos Outstanding Literary Award,” said Dr. Muñoz. “The work of Alberto Ríos, is truly a representation of not only the Chicano community, but also the immigrant Hispanic community living in the state of Arizona, at the beginning of the 21st century. I am humbled to receive this award from my peers and to represent Chandler-Gilbert Community College.”

Dr. Muñoz’s literary and academic career spans more than 40 years. A native of Mexico City, he began his college career at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico in the department of Philosophy and Letters. Following graduation, he migrated to the United States in 1975, where his academic journey continued. He obtained several degrees in numerous fields including an associate degree in Theatre Arts from Southwestern College; a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from Grand Canyon University; two master's degrees, one in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, and the other in Hispanic Literature, from Arizona State University and a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from Trinity Theological Seminary.

Along with his passion for education, Dr. Muñoz also has a passion for Hispanic/Chicano writing and sharing his devout culture with his readers. He is a bilingual writer, and has written in several genres, short stories, chronicles, essays, and a number of textbooks. His works include: “Insanities, Soundness, and Reality: A collection of short stories told perhaps by the same person,” “Editorial Garabatos,” “El Santo Don Patricio,” and “México de mis recuerdos,” to name a few. He also founded “Peregrinos y sus letras,” an internet bilingual magazine platform for authors from around the world to share their works.

Dr. Muñoz came to Chandler-Gilbert Community College in 1994 as an adjunct professor in religious studies and philosophy. He gained residential faculty status in 1997. Since becoming a member of the CGCC community, Dr. Muñoz has inspired thousands of students through his teachings and love of writing. Each year he introduces students in his class to the literary works of renowned Hispanic/Chicano writers such as those from Stella Pope Duarte, Sandra Cisneros and Lucha Corpi. He also works effortlessly to bring these authors to the campus of CGCC to engage with students in dialogue about their literary contributions.

“This award gives me the opportunity to see that my work has not been in vain,” says Muñoz. “Because all us, as a community, continue to improve ourselves and will maintain our effort, to always present an accurate image of what it means to be Chicano, Mexican-American and or Hispanic, in the United States of America.”

Dr. Muñoz will be honored at The Victoria Foundation’s 8th Annual Arizona Higher Education Awards event on September 6th at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel.

The Great American Eclipse Viewing Party at Chandler-Gilbert Community College

Experience one of America’s greatest celestial wonders by attending The Great American Eclipse viewing party at Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC). The CGCC Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, and the Astronomy Department, is hosting a viewing party for students and the local community on Monday, August 21^st. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience this rare astronomical moment by viewing the total eclipse through specialty telescopes while learning about its significance from CGCC astronomers. In addition to the viewing party, CGCC will live stream the eclipse on the campus Facebook page for viewers alike.

“This event is important to the CGCC community as it puts us in contact with multiple parts of our history, and of the development of astronomy as a science and the beautiful nature of this cosmic alignment,” said Ángel G. Fuentes, CGCC Astronomer and faculty member. “Students, staff, and the community will have a chance to take a closer look at the sun in a safe manner. They will be able to see sunspots (if any are visible), and slowly see the moon moving in front of the sun.”

The Great American Eclipse, is a total solar eclipse stretching across the United States going from Oregon through the heartland of the U.S., all the way to South Carolina. This type of eclipse has not been seen for almost 100 years. The last total solar eclipse that was visible in the U.S. from coast-to-coast was on June 8, 1918. Totality of the eclipse will only be visible in the path of the umbra, the darkest part of the eclipse’s shadow, which includes Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina. The eclipse will appear as a partial eclipse everywhere else in the continental U.S.

A solar eclipse occurs when the sun, the moon, and the earth align. Sunlight hits the moon, and the moon casts its shadow into space. As the moon, and the earth move in their respective orbits, the shadow of the moon moves over specific parts of the surface of the Earth. This creates the eclipse. “This eclipse is also special because its totality will only be visible from American soil,” said Prof. Fuentes. “Eclipses have been an important part of the history of our civilization, and have come to mean different things to different cultures. Eclipses have particularly special meaning to Native tribes, Mesoamerican, Aboriginal, Celtic, and Greek cultures, just to name a few.”

Event attendees will have the opportunity to view the eclipse in a safe manner through telescopes equipped with certified sun filters making it safe to look at the eclipse. There will also be demonstrations on how to build a pinhole camera which is another safe, easy option to view the eclipse. “It is important that people never look directly at the sun, even during an eclipse,” said Prof. Fuentes. “There are many easy options people can use to view the eclipse such as a homemade pinhole camera, a pasta strainer, number 14 welder’s glasses or certified eclipse glasses. Never ever use a telescopes or binoculars to look at the sun without a properly certified filter.”

The Great American viewing party will take place on Monday, August 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in front of Ironwood Hall on the Pecos Campus, by the Grounds for Thought coffee shop. The event is free and open to the public. For more information on the eclipse visit https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College Honors 2017 Teal & Silver Recipients

Community leaders recognized for their contributions to CGCC!

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) honored their 14th Annual Teal & Silver award recipients during a breakfast event at the college's Williams Campus on Tuesday, May 9. Ten winners were recognized for their dedication and support of CGCC students, employees, programs, services and the college community.
The 2017 Teal & Silver Award recipients are:   
• Bill Rotondo, Chandler Christian Community Center-Community Organization Partner
• City of Chandler & East Valley Jewish Community Center-Community Organization Partners
• Cynthia Nannetti, CGCC Law Enforcement Training Academy Instructor-Community Leader
• Diane Fernichio, Step Up Schools Mesa-K-12 School Colleague
• Dinah Guy, Highland High School-K-12 School Colleague
• Orbital ATK-Business Partner
• Rosanne Shaw, Chandler High School-K-12 School Colleague
• Southwest Airlines-Donor Partner
• Troy Rundle, ASU Vet Success-University Partner
• Violet Nelson, Chandler High School-K-12 School Colleague

“The community leaders and businesses honored with a Teal & Silver award provide Chandler-Gilbert Community College and its students with vital support that improves their experience and contributes to their success,” said William Guerriero, Chandler-Gilbert Community College Interim President “Whether through direct interaction, funding for scholarships, or support for the college and its’ programs, we are truly grateful for their involvement and dedication.”
The Chandler-Gilbert Community College Teal & Silver Awards program was created to recognize the contributions of individuals who support Chandler-Gilbert Community College through various efforts. Recipients positively impact the college by assisting with the program or service improvements, supporting creative and innovative ideas, improving the quality of the college experience, support the delivery of instruction, providing resources or assisting with cost-saving measures and advocating for the college in media, with elected officials and in the community.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s 14^th Annual Teal & Silver recipients were honored May 9 at celebration breakfast event at the college’s Williams Campus in Mesa.

Back row from left to right: Leah Powell, City of Chandler, Mike Miller, Southwest Airlines; Rick Kettner, Orbital Sciences; Bill Rotondo, Chandler Christian Community Center-Community; Diane Fernichio, Step Up Schools Chandler Hadassah Baldinger, East Valley Jewish Community Center; Dinah Guy, Highland High School; Violet Nelson, Chandler High School and Troy Rundle, Arizona State University Veteran’s Success Program.

Front row from left to right: Rabbi Michael Beyo, East Valley Jewish Community Center; Nachie Marquez, City of Chandler; Niki Tapia, City of Chandler; Cynthia Nannetti, Chandler-Gilbert Community College Law Enforcement Training Academy and Rosanne Shaw, Chandler High School.

CGCC Student Leaders Attend National Hispanic Conference

 

Ten members of Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s Hispanic Student Organization (HSO) had the distinguished honor of representing Arizona at the 35th Annual United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) National Conference in Chicago February 16-19. Freshmen Isabelle Rosales and Dalia Prado were among the CGCC representatives to join over 6,000 attendees for the unique cultural experience and educational opportunity.

The annual conference was held at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Hotel in downtown Chicago and featured representatives from 40 states including the 10 representatives from CGCC. Conference attendees had the opportunity to meet with recruiters, influential Hispanic leaders, national policy-makers and potential future employers. The conference theme ¡La Luche Sigue! Core Values Never Give Up inspired attendees to inspire positive change in the Hispanic community.

“This conference was so much more than just a networking opportunity for me,” said Prado. “I was inspired, empowered, and motivated to be an activist in my community and work harder in school. The workshops and speeches given at this conference empowered me in finding out more about my identity as a Hispanic woman in this country.”

HSO students participated in workshops on a variety of topics including professional development, diversity and community empowerment; and they attended career and graduate school expos throughout their two-day visit. The students also had the opportunity to participate in discussions about taking pride in their heritage and the importance of unifying as a culture. 

“I will always remember the many themes of this year’s conference and apply them to our community in hopes of bringing us closer together,” said Rosales. “As Chandler Gilbert Community College approaches becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution, I will apply the lessons of empowerment to fellow Hispanic students to encourage them to continue to further their education and be a force of change within our community...because Si Se Puede!”

If you are interested in learning more about the Hispanic Student Organization at CGCC contact the organization’s advisor Greg Wojtovich at greg.wojtovich@cgc.edu or 480-857-5213.

Get Involved Today!

Discover all the ways to get involved at Chandler-Gilbert Community College by attending the Spring Club Fair on January 24 & 25 at the Pecos Campus. The events will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Pavilion Patio.  Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with CGCC club and organization representatives to learn more about their mission, activities and how to sign up for participation. This is a great way to get to make new friends with similar interests and give back to the local community. We hope to see you there!

Click here for a complete list of clubs and organizations.

Empty Bowls Raises Thousands Of Dollars To Fight Local Hunger

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) raised over $5,000 for the Chandler Christian Community Center (CCCC) to assist families in need of food at the 4th Annual Empty Bowls event on Tuesday, September 20th. The event was sponsored by members of Student Life and the Service-Learning Office. Attendees purchased handmade ceramic bowls for $10 made by the CGCC service-learning ceramic students with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting CCCC.

"We are extremely grateful for those who came out to support the Empty Bowls fundraiser and to help fight hunger in the local community," said Alexandra Cannell, Service-Leaning Coordinator at CGCC. “Our campus community has embraced this event over the past few years and continues to give back to those in need. Because of their efforts, over 260 families in need will receive meals!”

Event attendees were served a 300-calorie meal which included a cup of hot soup and a bread roll donated by Dilly's Deli, Fry’s, Liberty Market and Paradise Bakery. This small portion meal was meant to signify the average number of calories a food-insecure person eats in one day.

Empty Bowls at CGCC is part of a district-wide fundraiser that raises funds for families in support of World Food Day (October 16), a day of action for people around the world to come together to declare their commitment to eradicate hunger.

CCCC's mission and vision is to change lives by nourishing minds and bodies to create a connected thriving community and to have a healthy and productive community built on a foundation of dignity and hope. Each year CCCC distributes over 15,000 food boxes locally with enough food to feed 50,000 adults and children. For more information about CCCC visit www.chandlerfoodbank.org.

CGCC Announces Fall Performing Art Schedule

Chandler-Gilbert Community College has announced its 2016 fall performing arts season. The season kicks-off with a rendition of Steve Martin's play "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" October 13-15. The full length comedy play features the characters of Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso who meet at a bar called the Lapin Agile in Montmarte, France. The play is set in October 8, 1904.  Both men are on the verge of an amazing idea (Einstein will publish his special theory of relativity in 1905 and Picasso will paint Les Demoiselles d'Avignon in 1907) when they find themselves at the Lapin Agile debating over the value of genius and talent while interacting with a host of other characters.
   
Theatrical shows in addition to “Picasso at the Lapin Agile" will include the Off-Broadway hit, “Circle of Mirror Transformation” November 17-19. “Circle of Mirror Transformation” is a play by Annie Baker, centered on drama classes at a community centre in Vermont.  The play opened Off-Broadway in 2009 and received the Obie Award for Best New American Play.

This year's performing arts lineup also features a variety of student concerts and dance showcases including the fall band concert October 27 and the faculty-choreographed dance showcase "Explorations" November 18 & 19.

Also special for audiences will be the Comedy Improv shows September 23 and November 4 along with Jazz Night November 3.

Highlighting the Christmas season is Charles Dickens’ holiday classic “A Christmas Carol” December 1-3 along with the Winter Woods Percussion Concert December 9 followed by the dance showcase "In Motion" December 9 &10.

All shows are open to the public.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the CGCC Box Office located on the Pecos Campus. The box office window opens one hour before show time. Attendees can purchase available tickets or pick up reserved tickets from Will Call. Student prices are offered to those with a valid student ID. Doors open a half hour prior to the performance. For additional information or further assistance, please call the box office at 480-732-7343. For a full overview of the 2016 Fall Performance Arts Schedule, click here.

The Psychology Club's Brown Bag Lecture Series

This Spring the Psychology club will be hosting the following lecture series:

Brown Bag #1 on Hypnotherapy—Friday, March 25, from 12-1p in IRN 120.
Is hypnosis just for magicians? Enjolie Lafaurie, Ph.D., is a mental health counselor and certified
hypnotherapist trained at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. Enjolie has an M.S.Ed. in Counseling. Psychology from the University of Southern California and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Arizona State University. She will be introducing the concept of hypnotherapy and its clinical benefits.

Brown Bag #2 on Human Trafficking—Friday, April 15, from 12-1p in IRN 120.

Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, M.S.W., Ph.D., is an internationally recognized expert on human trafficking and associate professor in Social Work at Arizona State University. In addition to her research, Dr. Sepowitz is a mental health clinician and currently work with Esuba, a residential treatment program for adolescent girls who have been sexually exploited. She will discuss her research work spanning the prevention, detection, identification, and treatment of sex trafficking victims.

Additional Club Events for Extra Credit

Club meetings: Weekly on Wednesdays, from 2:30-3:30p in IRN 231. (No extra credit provided.)

Monday, April 4 from 2:30-3:30p, IRN 120: Dream Interpretation with Dr. Steven Fox.
Dr. Fox has over 20 years of experience in private practice and is trained in cognitive and
dynamic therapies. Dream interpretation often leads to deeper insights which are then
collaboratively integrated into your life. The wealth of internal personal information is tapped
from your unconscious by working out the meaning of dream themes in your life.

Monday, May 2 from 2:30-3:30p, IRN 120: Stress Release Workshop.
Club advisor, Dr. Z, will present psychology-based study tips and relaxation techniques for
students. Refreshments and goodie bags may be provided courtesy of the Office of Student Life
and Leadership. Come to relax and get prepared for Final Exam week!

Verification of Attendance forms will be provided for the lectures/workshops above to those
interested in earning extra credit (if applicable).

All events are open to students, faculty, and staff. We hope you can join us this semester!

CGCC Donates Holiday Food Items for Local Charter School

A big shout out to the students, faculty and staff who participated in last month's food drive benefiting Concordia Charter School in Mesa. Over 900 food items were donated to families as part of Educators Rising and HELP clubs' holiday outreach efforts.

Educators Rising at CGCC is a student club that provides passionate students with authentic opportunities to experience teaching, sustain their interest in the profession, and help them cultivate their skills they need to be successful teachers. Their members are currently working with students at Concordia Charter School as part of their teaching curriculum. Hands Enriching Lives Projects (HELP) is another student club on campus with the mission of serving needs in local communities. 

With the help of the CGCC community, Educators Rising and HELP students were able to create 76 meals for the families along with 13 partial bags for the larger families.

Check out this video created by CGCC Educators Rising president Breanna Wright highlighting the food drive efforts.

Thank you to everyone who made this food drive such a success!

For more information on Concordia Charter School, visit www.concordiacharter.org.

Empty Bowls Fundraiser Fights Hunger One Bowl at a Time: Event Benefits Thousands of Local Families in Need

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) has teamed up with the Chandler Christian Community Center (CCCC) to fight hunger and raise money for families in need through its Empty Bowls Service-Learning fundraiser event. The event will be held Tuesday, October 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. inside the Student Pavilion at the Pecos Campus.

Attendees can purchase their own hand-crafted ceramic bowls designed by CGCC Ceramics student artists for $10, and enjoy a cup of soup donated by Dilly's Deli, Liberty Market and Whole Foods. All proceeds benefit the CCCC to feed those in the community who might otherwise go without food.  

"We are grateful for the opportunity to support Empty Bowls for CCCC through service-learning. It is a unique opportunity for Ceramics students to apply what they are learning in their courses to meet needs in the community," said Alexandra Cannell, Service-Learning Coordinator at CGCC."

Empty Bowls at CGCC is part of a district wide fundraiser that raises funds for families in support of World Food Day (October 16), a day of action for people around the world to come together to declare their commitment to eradicate hunger. Empty Bowls raises thousands of dollars annually for local charities. Last year's event raised over $4,000 for the CCCC.

For more information contact Service-Learning at 480-732-7069 or by email at alex.cannell@cgc.edu. 

Agave Hall Fully Renovated To Accommodate Performing Arts Students

Agave Hall, one of the original buildings on campus, has been fully transformed into a modern looking, multi-purpose, environmentally friendly building for the college's performing arts program. The 39,000-square-foot building is now a space for performing arts instruction and rehearsal for students participating in band, choir, dance, orchestra and theater.
 
Originally constructed in 1986 on the Pecos Campus, the newly renovated Agave Hall features a music library, instrument repair room, two professional level dance rooms, state-of-the-art record control booth, multiple rehearsal classrooms and a large community meeting space. General purpose classrooms along with faculty offices provide an instructional hub that is flexible and adaptive to changing curricular needs of CGCC’s students.  The large community room complement's these by accommodating supporting events and activities as well as providing space for multiple classes to participate in joint instructional activities.

"From a performing arts aspect, Agave Hall is creating incredible energy and excitement for our students," said Randy Wright, Communication and Fine Arts Director of Instrumental Music at CGCC.  "Agave offers numerous new opportunities for student performers at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, taking our program to a new level."

The Agave Hall renovation was also designed to meet the needs of the college's ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. In fact, Agave is the first 100% LED lighting building in the Maricopa County Community College District. Additional examples of sustainable operations include: a new efficient roof, bottle fill stations, energy efficient air conditioning units, high performance glass to keep heat out and let natural light in, new insulation and stucco on the south side of the building and 100% reclaimed water used for irrigation.

"This was more than just your average remodel, it was complete transformation of one of the oldest buildings on campus," said Charlie Poure, Director of College Facilities Planning and Development at CGCC. "Agave is unlike any other building on campus. Not only from a sustainability perspective, but also from a design perspective. Agave has the first true community room on campus, a newly designed and constructed walkway leading to the Performing Arts Center and an outdoor living space that students can take advantage of year round."

The building renovation started last December as its previous residents (student affairs, student services and the fitness center) relocated to the new Coyote Center and was completed this August. The $6 million renovation was completed in August as part of the public's approval of the 2004 General Obligation Bond Funds.

CGCC to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Chandler-Gilbert Community College is hosting a Hispanic Heritage Festival on Thursday, October 15 from 11 am to 1 pm inside the Student Pavilion. The event is free and open to the public, and will feature samples of Hispanic foods, entertainment and information about local Hispanic community organizations.



Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The CGCC event is sponsored by the Hispanic Student Organization, Office of International Education Program and Student Life.

For more information on the event or CGCC's Hispanic Student Organization, please contact Greg Wojtovich at 480.857.5213.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College Awarded National Latino Grant: Grant to educate students about the history and culture of Latinos in the U.S.

Chandler, Ariz.—August 5, 2015--

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) has been awarded a Latino Americans: 500 Years of History grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the American Library Association (ALA).  As one of 203 grant recipients selected from across the country, CGCC will receive an award of $10,000 to produce public programming about Latino history and culture. CGCC’s participation in the Latino Americans grant affords a unique opportunity to provide a framework for students and community members to explore the history and cultural impact of Latinos in the United States. 

At the center of the programming is the six-part, NEH-supported documentary film “Latino Americans,” created for PBS in 2013 by the WETA public television station. The award-winning series chronicles the history of Latinos in the United States from the 16th century to present day. Learn more about the series at www.pbs.org/latino-americans.  Three episodes of the documentary will be screened between September and May with scholar-led discussions after the screenings.

Donna Thompson, Humanities and Woman Studies Faculty and grant co-director, emphasizes the importance of “using the arts and humanities to explore the challenges and opportunities present in our communities.” She explains that “An essential feature of CGCC’s grant events is the focus on creating space for conversation, debate among students, scholars, and community members around significant concerns and issues in our region like immigration, the Dream Act, migrant workers, cultural conflicts, and citizenship.” 

Program activities will engage students and community youth from the Si Se Puede Foundation in writing and sharing their stories; hearing the writing of Southwest and local writers, including Sandra Cisneros; with local playwrights, actors, and artists; and producing dramatic scenes in response to the migrant experience. 

Alexandra Cannell, CGCC Coordinator of Service-Learning, explains the positive outcomes of this work: “This grant provides the opportunity to deepen our relationship with Si Se Puede Foundation through programming that will serve its youth and educate our own students by giving them avenues to explore their own identities in connection with Latino history and current events. This is a critical component of their personal development that will positively impact their futures and the future of our community." 

Programming will also involve recording and sharing the histories of local Latino American artists to celebrate the artists’ lives and accomplishments, teach about local history and themes inherent in the artists’ life experiences, and inspire community members, especially the youth, to make art part of their life for identity exploration, enrichment, and expression. CGCC will be display the oral histories collected in their library as well at Chandler Public Library.

For more information, please call Dean of Arts and Sciences, Chris Schnick at 480-732-7274, or visit www.ala.org/latinoamericans.       

About Chandler-Gilbert Community College

Chandler-Gilbert Community College is one of ten Maricopa County Community Colleges, the largest community college system in the country. CGCC serves the higher education needs of over 19,000 students at four locations in the Southeast Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area - the Pecos Campus in Chandler, the Williams Campus in Mesa, the Sun Lakes Center in Sun Lakes and at the Communiversity in Queen Creek. CGCC offers degrees and certificates in a variety of fields, university transfer, workforce development programs, and continuing education, along with nationally recognized programs in service learning, learning communities, and civic engagement. For more information, visit cgc.edu or call 480-732-7000.

About the National Endowment for Humanities

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov.     

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with approximately 58,000 members in academic, public, school, government and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.