OCTOBER 2007

OCTOBER 2007 – MARCH 2008: PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS LEARNING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Club Read, a program for young people in grades K – high school who are learning English as a second language, will held on Saturday mornings from 9:30 – 1:30 October 6 through March 22 in the Central Library McIntire Room at 201 E. Market St. The participants read with volunteers, engage in group activities, and utilize the library's resources. For more information, contact the Central Library Children's Department at 979-7151, x 3.

THROUGH OCTOBER 13, 2007: NEW PLAY AT LIVE ARTS: THE CLEAN HOUSE

Lane, a successful upper middle-class woman, hires a Brazilian maid, Matilde, to clean her house. The play offers a reinvigorated look at the notion that houses and housekeeping provide a window into a person’s soul. For more information: 434/977-4177, education@livearts.org or www.livearts.org

OCTOBER 2, 2007: TESTIMONY: THE MARIA GUARDADO STORY / FILM SCREENING WITH MARIA

In 1983, Maria Guardado received political asylum from the United States despite the fact that she was fleeing the U.S.-backed civil war in her native El Salvador. Targeted by Salvadoran death squads because of her activism, she was tortured, raped, and left for dead in the street. Now living in Los Angeles, Maria reveals in this documentary how she recovered from her trauma and describes her life as a political activist and poet. Ms. Guardado and the film’s director, Randy Vasquez, will answer questions from the audience. Cosponsored by The UVa Women's Center and La Alianza Coalition of Hispanic/Latino Leaders. 6:00-9:00 p.m. at Newcomb Hall Theater. Contact: crz5d@cms.mail.virginia.edu

OCTOBER 2, 2007: WITNESS FOR PEACE ANNUAL SPEAKER TOUR

Alba Maria Cuesta Arias will talk about the war and peace efforts in her country, Colombia, at the Church of the Incarnation Parish Hall (behind Toys R Us), 7 pm. Contact Rhonda at rhonda@incarnationparish.org or 973-4381.

OCTOBER 2 – 7, 2007: HARRISONBURG LATINO FILM FESTIVAL

Five films will be shown twice during the festival. Among them, The Other Side, Writer/director Gustavo Loza’s visually-stimulating, timely film punctures the surface of immigration with three stories of three different realities (Mexico) - Live in Maid - Dora has worked for Mrs. Beba for thirty-five years. However, due to economic and social crises, they are forced to live together under very different circumstances. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Sundance (Argentina) - Super Amigos, Documentary feature: Super Barrio, Super Ecologista, and friends are real life masked heroes. Though their true identity remains a mystery, they could easily be Mexico City’s last salvation against human injustices (Mexico). - The Family - A Jewish man struggles with married life, fatherhood, and his relationship to his own father in this funny and moving film. (Argentina.) - Almost Brothers (R) - The film explores the relationship between the middle classes and the slums in Rio de Janeiro during the past fifty years through two people who are “almost brothers” (Brazil). For more information contact: 540) 801-8779 X2 or visit http://courtsquaretheater.com/artman/publish/article_88.shtml Directions are at http://www.courtsquaretheater.com/directions.html

OCTOBER 3, 2007: IMMIGRANT SOLIDARITY MEETING

This first of the month weekly meeting will be bilingual; the rest of the month meetings will be in Spanish. The meetings are from 6 – 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall of the Church of the Incarnation (behind Toys R Us). Contact: rmm@incarnationparish.org

OCTOBER 4, 2007: WE ARE STILL HERE: THE ENDURANCE AND COURAGE OF THE WOMEN OF EL SALVADOR

Local photographer Peggy Harrison and Women’s Center Executive Director Sharon Davie share compelling images and stories about the lives of Salvadoran women and their families. Sponsored by the UVa Women's Center. Time: TBA. At the C&O Gallery. Contact: cnk2r@virginia.edu

OCTOBER 5, 2007: LUNCH IN SPANISH

Lunching in Spanish on Fridays started up again in September 2007. The lunches are held on the first Friday of every month for an hour starting at noon (so please be punctual). As before, they are held at United Way (downtown close to Court Square). Bring your friends or work colleagues or meet new folks and don’t forget to bring your lunch too. Native speakers, persons learning Spanish or just wanting to practice it, are all welcomed. For more information, contact Martha Trujillo at mtrujillo@unitedwaytja.org For other opportunities to practice or learn Spanish, visit http://www.cj-network.org/learn_sp.html

OCTOBER 10, 2007: IMMIGRANT SOLIDARITY MEETING

All meetings will be in Spanish except the 1st Wednesday of the month which will be bilingual. Meetings go from 6 – 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall of the Church of the Incarnation (behind Toys R Us). Contact: rmm@incarnationparish.org

OCTOBER 12 & 19, 2007: RADIO DOCUMENTARY - LOST & FOUND AT THE BORDER

Latino USA will present a special radio documentary looking at illegal immigration from both sides
of the border called “Lost & Found At the Border," scheduled to air on October 12th and 19th. Texas is on the frontlines of one of the biggest cultural shifts in American history, but the complex stories of the human experience involved are vastly underreported. Find out firsthand why people are coming, where they’re coming from, how they live once they arrive, and what can or should be done about the current influx of illegal immigrants. Explore the international and national events that affect our lives as citizens of the United States and of Central Texas. Listen to Latino USA on your local NPR station on Sundays at 4:30 or at its website http://www.latinousa.org

OCTOBER 13, 2007: HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AT THE SOUTHWOOD BOYS & GIRLS CLUB

On Saturday, October 13, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm, UVA's Latino organizations are going to help the Southwood Boys and Girls Club celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! Souhtwood is a local trailer park community where many Hispanic and African American families live. The event is going to take place in an open area in the Southwood community itself (15 minutes away from central grounds). It is going to consist of food, activities for kids, a cultural display, and a great musical program! Our goal is to bring together different members of the Southwood community as well as to strengthen the ties between UVA and the greater Charlottesville community. We want UVA students to participate in both the PLANNING and the CELEBRATION itself. If you are interested in helping with any of the committees (food, funding, publicity, music, decorations, kids) or in attending the event, and if you have any questions, please email Juana Yunis at jy7q@virginia.edu

OCTOBER 15, 2007: NATIONAL LATINO AIDS AWARENESS DAY

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) marks an opportunity to increase awareness of the devastating and disproportionate effects of AIDS in the Latino community. NLAAD is also a day to encourage HIV testing and to push for support from public officials and religious leaders. In Virginia, educational outreach activities are scheduled in Alexandria, Accomack, Emporia, Newport News, and Sterling. For a flyer on these activities visit http://www.cj-network.org/comm_ann.html While Latinos only make up about 14% of the U.S. population, they account for 19% of the AIDS cases in the U.S. since the start of the epidemic. In 2004, Latinos accounted for 20% of the new AIDS cases in the U.S. For more English information about NLAAD, visit www.nlaad.org; Spanish language information is available at http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/other/specialityPage.aspx?pageID=5

OCTOBER 17, 2007: IMMIGRANT SOLIDARITY MEETING

All meetings will be in Spanish except the 1st Wednesday of the month which will be bilingual. Meetings go from 6 – 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall of the Church of the Incarnation (behind Toys R Us). Contact: rmm@incarnationparish.org

OCTOBER 18, 2007: “VIRGINIA REPORTS: THE LATINO UNDERGROUND”

“Decades ago, Mexican migrant laborers came to work in the apple orchards of northwest Virginia, and returned home after the harvest. Today, the number of unauthorized Latino immigrants living in the Commonwealth has exploded. What caused the change in migratory labor trends? Why do immigrants cross the border illegally? What effect is illegal immigration having in Virginia? What can be done about it?”

“Virginia Reports: The Latino Underground” explores this complicated topic. A free, public preview of the entire 60-minute documentary will be held Thursday, October 18, at 7:00 p.m. at Court Square Theater in Harrisonburg. The public is invited. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and seating is limited, so please arrive early. RSVPs desired. Call (540) 437-2458 or visit wvpt.net

“Virginia Reports: The Latino Underground” will be aired on October 22 at 9:00 and will repeat October 26 at 10:00 p.m., October 28 at 3:00 p.m. and November 1 at 9:00 p.m. on WVPT (Comcast Channels 11 and 12). For more information visit: http://wvpt.net/programs/virginia%20reports/vr_index.html

OCTOBER 18, 2007: BALLET GRAN FOLKLORICO DE MEXICO

The troupe of 35 singers, dancers and musicians maintain an extremely high level of artistry while the colorful and rhythmic show is presented in a swirl of authentic costumes with Mariachi, Marimba and Jorocho bands providing exciting musical settings for this Mexican panorama of dance and song. Their performance in the V. Earl Dickinson Building, located at the south end of College Drive, begins at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $17 adults, $10 students/seniors. For more information, contact the PVCC Box Office at 434.961.5376 or e-mail boxoffice@pvcc.edu

OCTOBER 21, 2007: HELP FAIR – FERÍA DE AYUDA

The annual CJ-Incarnation Church Help Fair offers outreach and networking opportunities to service providers working in the areas of health, housing, education, employment, and social services. The third annual Help Fair – Fería de Ayuda, to help Latinos learn about and access local resources, will be held on Sunday, October 21, from 2:30 – 5:00, in the Church of the Incarnation Parish Hall. The church is located behind Toys-R-Us on Rt. 29. If you’re a service provider and would like to participate, a member of the Latino/Hispanic community who would like to attend, and/or are interested in donating funds, food, music, dance performances, or door prizes, please contact Rhonda Miska at rhonda@incarnationparish.org. To read about the second Help Fair visit http://www.cj-etwork.org/cjinitiatives/cjhelpfair2006.html; to read about the first Help Fair visit http://www.cj-network.org/cjinitiatives/cjhelpfair2005.html

UNTIL OCTOBER 22, 2007: TPS EXTENSION FOR SALVADORANS

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (US CIS) has published an advance notice of the decision to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) status to nationals of El Salvador. TPS status for nationals of El Salvador was set to expire September 9th, 2007. The extension of TPS is valid for 18 months, until March 9, 2009 with an automatic extension of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for six months for all those who currently hold TPS with US CIS issued EAD. Certain nationals of El Salvador (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in El Salvador) who have not previously applied for TPS may be eligible to apply under the late initial registration provisions.

The current TPS expiration date is September 9, 2007. The 60 day re-registration period begins on August 21, 2007 and ends on October 22, 2007. Since this notice may not allow sufficient time for processing EAD renewals, US CIS is extending the validity of EADs for Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries for the next six months, until March 9, 2008. For a press release, visit http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/TPSElSalExtend082107.pdf TPS forms are available by calling 800/870-3676 or on the USCIS website: www.uscis.gov For local consultations or help in completing documents contact Doug Ford at doug@justice4all.org. Important forms include
I-821 TPS Application: http://www.cj-network.org/cjcomm_ann/I-821.pdf
I-821 Instructions: http://www.cj-network.org/cjcomm_ann/I-821instr.pdf
1-765 form: http://www.cj-network.org/cjcomm_ann/i-765.pdf

OCTOBER 22, 2007: CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND THE LATINO COMMUNITY

Charlottesville is privileged to have over forty different cultural groups. Marie Murray of the Shelter for Help in Emergency will speak about cultural diversity, how it enriches and at the same time challenges the human experience, and will focus on the Latino population since it is the largest and therefore the one we are most likely to encounter day to day. We hope that increasing awareness of differences and similarities will facilitate common understanding and dissipate some of the myths and misconceptions feeding the current debate about immigration. The talk is from 3:30 to 5:00 PM, in the conference room of The United Way (downtown). RSVP: Martha Trujillo, mtrujillo@unitedwaytja.org or 434-972-1701

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2007: THE ROLE OF LITERATURE & FILM IN UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE OF LATIN AMERICAN IMMIGRATION

Bolivian Juan de Recacaoechea will talk about the role of literature and cinema in illuminating the issue of Latin American immigration. Short clips from the film American Visa, based on Recacaoechea’s book, - about a retired Bolivian teacher Mario who dreams of immigrating to America but is denied a visa through official channels and resorts to the black market - will be shown. The event starts at 4:30 in UVA’s Newcomb Hall Kaleidoscope (3rd floor).

OCTOBER 24, 2007: IMMIGRANT SOLIDARITY MEETING

All meetings will be in Spanish except the 1st Wednesday of the month which will be bilingual. Meetings go from 6 – 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall of the Church of the Incarnation (behind Toys R Us). Contact: rmm@incarnationparish.org

OCTOBER 30, 2007: FORUM – LATINOS & MENTAL HEALTH

Unaware of Latino culture and without knowledge of local bilingual resources, service agencies find it difficult to identify and treat their Latino clients who have mental health needs. CJ members, Linda Hemby and Cheryl Ribano have been networking with mental health providers to identify bilingual professionals working with the Latino population. One result has been the compilation of a directory of Spanish speaking mental health providers, a work in progress that can be found at http://www.cj-network.org/cjloclatfocusedin/Bilingual_Mental_Health_Providers.doc

Another result is this forum, scheduled for Tuesday, October 30, 2007, that will both explore mental health issues facing Latinos and introduce local bilingual therapists who treat them. Among the speakers will be Rosalie Corona, Assistant Professor at VCU’s Department of Psychology, and Sandy Lopez-Baez, who teaches graduate courses in counseling UVA and courses in mental health as adjunct faculty at universities in Guatemala and Venezuela. There will also be presentations from two local therapists, including Dr. Heather Finkel from the FOCUS Women’s Center. The forum will end with a question and answer period. The event is free, open to the public, and will be held from 10 to noon in Room A of the Albemarle County Office Building on 5th Street Extended (exit 120 off of 64). For more information, contact Linda Hemby at lhemby@albemarle.org . A biographical sketch on Dr. Corona is available at http://www.has.vcu.edu/psy/people/corona.html ; additional information on Dr. Lopez-Baez is located at http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/index.php?option=com_currypeople&task=detail&userid=sll6f and http://www.counseling.org/PressRoom/NewsReleases.aspx?AGuid=ea91b34e-aa06-4653-a54b-8f154c14bf9e ; and an overview of services provided by Dr. Finkel are located at http://www.cj-network.org/cjcomm_ann/Flier_Enlgish_Finkel_PDF.pdf

OCTOBER 31, 2007: IMMIGRANT SOLIDARITY MEETING

All meetings will be in Spanish except the 1st Wednesday of the month which will be bilingual. Meetings go from 6 – 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall of the Church of the Incarnation (behind Toys R Us). Contact: rmm@incarnationparish.org