REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and Spanish Speaking, is celebrating it’s 40th anniversary and will be holding it’s 4th National Conference this week. The four day conference starts Sept 15 (which coincides with the start off National Hispanic Heritage Month) at the Westin Hotel in Denver, CO, USA and is expected to draw over 500 participants. The theme for the conference is “Elevating Latino Services to a Higher Level: Juntos in the Mile High City!” and a plethora of events have been scheduled including seminars, author readings, continuing education workshops, enlightening panel discussions, and vendor exhibits.
If you are in the Denver area and interested in attending, you should know that you don’t have to be a member of REFORMA to attend. Non-members can still register and are welcome to come participate as well as purchase exhibit only passes. Click here to download the schedule and see what might appeal to you.
Among the many great events planned is an author luncheon with award winning author and literacy advocate Pat Mora on Sept 16 from 12:30 – 2:00 pm
Extreme Yum: The Zing of Sharing Bookjoy & Growing Día
A former teacher, university administrator, consultant, and the author of many award winning children’s books, Pat is the also the founder of the family literary initiative El día de los niños / El día de los libros, Children’s Day / Book Day (Día), now an initiative of at the American Library Association. The year-long commitment to linking all children to books, languages and cultures, and of sharing what Ms. Mora calls “Bookjoy,” culminates in Día events across the country. Día celebrated its 15th Anniversary in April 2011.
To learn more about Pat Mora read our interview with her here.
PaperTigers’ September 2007 and September 2008 issues focused on National Hispanic Heritage Month and include interviews, articles, books and artwork that capture the Hispanic temper of our times.
As a way to kick-off Hispanic Heritage Month, I would like to suggest the young adult book The Holy Tortilla and a Pot of Beans, by Carmen Tafolla (reviewed by Marjorie and also mentioned in her answers to Stacy’s questions for today’s BBAW’s Blogger Interview Swap). The winner of the 2009 Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award (tied for the honor with Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s YA novel, He Forgot to Say Goodbye), the book offers a collection of 16 short stories that explore the human spirit inherent in the bilingual, bicultural world of the Texas-Mexico border.
We hope this and the many other books we have highlighted on the PaperTigers website and blog through the years can help children and young adults understand more about the rich and important tapestry we call Hispanic America.
As part of its celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sep 15–Oct 15), the University of Texas-Pan American Multicultural Center organized a contest in honor of the role Hispanic elders play in the fabric of family and community life. For a chance to win one of three scholarships, students of any nationality were encouraged to write about the influence of a Hispanic elder in their lives and the significance of their relationship.
The stories that best demonstrate intergenerational strength will be announced tonight, at a “Hispanic Heroes” ceremony in honor of the scholarship recipients and the relatives, teachers, mentors and community members who inspire them.
In many cultures throughout the world, including the Hispanic one, elders are indeed the most revered and respected people, and it’s always heartwarming to come across narratives that speak of their importance in young ones’ lives. In a recent interview for PaperTigers, writer Pam Muñoz Ryan spoke fondly of her grandmother’s influence:
“My grandmother, Esperanza Ortega Muñoz, was really the hub of the entire family. Everybody seemed to congregate at her house. As a young girl, I observed the influence that her affection had on people and how her traits carried over to others in the family. When I became an adult and a writer and looked back on her story, I realized how remarkable it was.”
Ryan’s words point to the fact that our elders are so often nurturers, role models, mentors. They are family and community historians that connect us to our roots by providing the necessary link between cultural heritage and present day customs.
For parents, teachers and caregivers looking to foster this special intergenerational connection, PaperTigers’ annotated reading list of grandparents/grandchildren books should prove helpful. We can’t think of a better way to end our Hispanic Heritage Month celebration than by encouraging children and adults to honor the Hispanic elders in their lives and communities—on heritage month and all year long!
