Feb. 23, 2011
CUA's Hispanic Civic and Global Engagement Talk Series has been drawing upwards of 100 students at each lecture. The program, aimed at strengthening collaboration between CUA and the Washington, D.C., area Hispanic community, was launched in the fall semester with four lectures, and has continued in the spring semester with one lecture in January and two more slated for Feb. 28 and March 28.
Students and faculty who have been attending the talks come with diverse interests and backgrounds, and some leave the lectures with a desire to get involved.
Eileen Twohy, a clinical psychology doctoral student, attended the November talk "Seeking Shelter in a Foreign Land," presented by CASA de Maryland, a community organization that seeks to give Hispanic immigrants a voice. She came to the presentation because the topic is relevant to her graduate work in the area of Latino families and mental health issues.
"The lecture provided a strong reminder about how vulnerable [immigrant] families are. When immigration issues become part of our political debate, it gets complicated. But the presentation was a helpful reminder that compassion for people should be at the center of the discussions. And that is very much in keeping with the mission of Catholic University," said Twohy.
Sophomore Indra Gomez, of Meridian, Idaho, was at the same lecture, which featured a film about the 2010 Immigration Reform Rally on the National Mall that drew 250,000 people.
"The images of all the people on the National Mall reminded me of the civil rights movement of the 60s. We are at the start of the Hispanic civil rights movement in this country. We just haven't reached our turning point yet," said Gomez, who has a double major in political science and Spanish for international service, with a minor in Latino American studies.
Ingrid Rivas, a sophomore from Rockville, Md., is first-generation American. She attended the Jan. 31 lecture "Adult Literacy in Spanish: It's Never Too Late to Read and Write." Both of her parents are from El Salvador and she says she understands the issues first-hand.
The January program featured a talk by Mario Gamboa, founder and director of Centro de Alfabetización en Español (CENAES), a non-profit organization that provides literacy classes for the adult Hispanic population in the D.C., area. A highlight of the program was the premiere of the documentary CENAES by CUA senior Arnulfo Moreno, a media studies major.
"I was impressed with CENAES," said Rivas, who has a double major in psychology and Spanish for international service. "It is a vital program. When people come to the country already illiterate in their own language, it is almost impossible for them to become literate in English, which holds them back in so many ways. After the presentation, I felt motivated to help out."
And that's just what Moreno was hoping to hear. "My goal in telling the story of the organization through my documentary is to enlighten people. In understanding the plight of Hispanic Americans with illiteracy, they might just be more compelled to lend a hand."
Mario Ortiz, coordinator of the program, is thrilled with the CUA community's response to the talks. "The success of the presentations so far has been beyond our initial expectations. Seeing large numbers of students enthusiastically engaged in the discussions, while relating the presentations to what they are learning in the classroom, is any educator's ultimate wish come true," said Ortiz, assistant professor of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and director of CUA's Latin American and Latino Studies program.
Other topics covered thus far in the talk series include study abroad, immigration and refugee serves at Catholic Charities, and careers in international service.
With two more lectures coming up in the spring semester, Ortiz says, "The talk series is perhaps even more relevant this academic year given President Garvey's interest in fostering greater enrollment at the University from students with Hispanic backgrounds."
Details about the last two lectures in the Hispanic Civic and Global Engagement Talk Series follow:
Monday, Feb. 28, 5:10 - 6 p.m.Building Bridges for the Latino CommunityPresenter: Gabriela Morales, D.C. Mayor's Office on Latino AffairsHannan Hall, Room 108
Monday, March 28, 5:10 - 6 p.m.Global Engagement Through the Sound of MusicPresenter: Olivia Cadaval, folklorist and chair, Cultural Research and Education at the Smithsonian Institute: Folkways/Folklife FestivalHannan Hall, Room 108
For more information on these programs, contact Mario Ortiz at ortizm@cua.edu .