La Plaza Central

Today is my last day at El Centro.  I will be moving to Austin, Texas in the next few weeks and attending the University of Texas in the fall.  The goal is a masters in Latin American Studies, and maybe a PhD in the same or something similar if I like it.  I am extremely sad to leave this job, this organization, and the excellent staff here at El Centro.  No doubt there were trials and tribulations along the way, but I can honestly say this is the most fun I’ve ever had while working here in the States.  It was nothing if not rewarding, and that’s about all I ask from a job.  I will miss all of the people I worked with who have become my friends.  We’ll always have the memories.  Hasta la próxima.

Photo from Omaha World-Herald

Here‘s something cool.    I’m not a shopper, by any stretch, but I really liked walking the open markets in Central America.  It looks like southern Omaha will be getting a taste of that this Sunday, as well as the last Sundays in July and August.  The impromptu market takes place this Sunday from noon to 7:00 pm at the Plaza de la Raza at 24th and N streets in Omaha.  The vendors range from established businesses to ladies who make jewelry out of their homes.  There will be food, entertainment and games for the kids.  It sounds like a good time.

Well, we’re coming down to the final week in our pilot project in coordination with Lincoln Public Schools.  Speaking for the computer classes, I must say they have been a success.  After three weeks of twice-weekly classes, the parents seem far more comfortable using the computers to create/edit/save documents, send email and search the internet.  I wish we had better photos then the ones I’ll post below, but I don’t know how to work cameras.  We’ll try to do a little better this week.  The initial photos are from the parents-only computer class, and the last set is from the final 30 minutes of instruction when the parents and children come together to share the computers while looking at educational and literacy websites.

Much has been said on this blog about the influx of Latino children in our nation’s elementary schools, and their growing percentage of the entire school-age population.  The question of disproportionately low graduation rates has also been raised.  So the question is, which is a more effective strategy for educating our nation’s Latino youth, bilingual or English-only education?  Here’s a video from MSNBC that examines both sides of the question, without really coming to a consensus, other to say that both have their merits/drawbacks and maybe the local school systems should be allowed to decide.

Logo from Updowntowners Association

FYI, El Centro de las Américas will be represented tomorrow and Saturday at the Celebrate Lincoln International Festival with a booth filled with information and children’s activities.  We plan on offering face painting and coloring books for the kids, as well as having various Latino musical instruments on display.  It should be a good time, and we’re looking forward to it.  Our booth will be staffed by, well, staff members and board members all day Friday and Saturday, so stop by and say hola.

Here’s a nice story from the Journal Star’s high school graduates in the spotlight series.  Benito Sanchez of Lincoln High found his calling in theatre while in high school, and he plans to intern Washington DC and New Mexico this summer before attending UNL’s Johnny Carson School of Film and Theatre in the fall.  Well done, Benito.

Just when you think you know about most things going on in your neighborhood…

I learned about a new campaign called Nebraska is Home from our friends at Nebraska Appleseed in a Journal Star article from Saturday.  The campaign, which already has it’s own página web, is seeking to promote unity in communities across the state.  Saturday’s event was in Fremont.  Previous campaign events have been held in Grand Island, Crete Schuyler and Seward.  The program aims to celebrate the contributions of immigrants and promote the shared values in the community.

It sounds like a great idea to me.  The website has more information about events, like the one coming up in Grand Island on June 27th, and campaign posters you can print and hang up in your office.

There’s a new sheriff in town.  By sheriff I mean center for training immigrant leaders and by town I mean Omaha.  There’s a nice article, as always, from Cindy Gonzalez on the newly redesigned Omaha World-Herald website.  The Heartland Workers Center was announced last weekend at a luncheon in Omaha.  It will be housed in the Latino Center of the Midlands and focus on increasing civic and political participation in immigrant communities.  There was also a three-day leadership training session that has borne immediate fruits.  One woman plans to set up a legal assistance center for immigrants in Columbus, Nebraska.

One of the first projects for the Workers Center is working with day laborers that gather in a south Omaha parking lot.  The goal is to offer them computer and English classes while they wait for work.  I think this is one of the most valuable, and simultaneously difficult, things to do.  Hang up a sign that says “Computer Classes Here”, and you’ll get people interested in taking computer classes.  But oftentimes the people who could probably benefit the most from some instruction/education may be convinced that they don’t have the time/energy/capacity or even the desire to take such classes.  It’s probably the toughest job there is and wrought with numerous failures, but because your impact could be so much greater success is that much sweeter.

Just a quick note to promote our friends over at Community CROPS whose farmer’s market begins tomorrow,  Thursday, from 4:30 to 7:30 in Pentzer Park on North 27th Street.  It’s not quite as large as the one in the Haymarket or the one on Old Cheney, but it’s cool because they generally have more ethnic vegetables and foods.  And Cycle Works will be there tomorrow to perform free bike checkups.

Journal Star article here.

Check out CROPS’ website, if you get a chance.  They’re doing some cool things.

Hoy is the first day of our family literacy pilot program in coordination with LPS.  Blog readers are probably familiar with our family literacy program with UNL at Everett Elementary School, but this is a little different.  Tonight’s class is part of a pilot project from LPS in coordination with all of the ethnic centers in town whereby 10 families, parents and children, at each cultural center will receive basic computer instruction and family literacy.  The idea is similar to our program at Everett, with the goals being increasing computer skills for the parents and family literacy activities for the students.  There is a wealth of research out there that alludes to these two components as essential for academic success.  So hopefully the pilot program goes well and LPS can find a grant to continue it throughout the school year.  We will certainly try to do our part.