Participation for all programs is free and open to the public.
Contact bvelazquez@mccneb.edu or 531-622-2253 for more information.
Lecture: The New America
Julio Ricardo Varela, President of Futuro Media, Founder of Latino Rebels & MSNBC Columnist
As the U.S. population becomes more racially and ethnically diverse — the majority of us will be nonwhite by 2050 — how do Latinos fit in? Not only just fine, says Julio Ricardo Varela, but they’ll also become a powerhouse that can lead to significant political and cultural change. In this insightful keynote, Varela, Editorial Director for Futuro Media and founder of Latino Rebels — one of the top U.S. Latino digital media sites in the world — shares the story of his bilingual/bicultural heritage and how it affected him, from feeling like a fish out of water while attending Harvard to becoming a leader and voice of the Latino community. He’ll give insights on how diversity will change America for the better and what we can all do to help the process continue in the future.
WATCH THE NEW AMERICA
lecture: my father's daughter
Lilyan Prado Carrillo, ESL/bilingual specialist, Speaker, Dreamer, and Success Guide
Lilyan Prado Carrillo migrated to the United States from Guatemala when she was four years old. Raised solely by her father, J. Luis Prado, Lilyan has always understood the importance of education. Her father, who often worked two jobs to support the family, instilled in Lilyan the examples of hard work and perseverance that ultimately led her to go to college.
Her talks inspire underprivileged kids about seeking higher education and parents who feel guilt over not being able to provide all they want for their children.
Lilyan interned for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington, D.C. She earned a Master’s of Public Administration from the University of North Texas. She served two terms in 2019 and 2020 as president of the Denton Chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). She currently is the deputy director of District 3 of LULAC, which encompasses all of North Texas.
Film & Discussion: FRENEMIES: CUBA and the US EMBARGO
Discussion led by Mirella Martinelli, Director
Set to the pulsating beats of Afro-Caribbean music, the feature-length documentary film Frenemies examines the fraught relationship between the island nation of Cuba and the United States.
Presenting a critical perspective on both governments, Frenemies blends archival footage with contemporary examples of Cuba’s economic decay and vibrant culture, painting a vivid portrait of a nation fighting for survival against the world’s longest-running embargo.
MCC personnel and students may access this streaming video by using steps below:
- Going to the MCC Library website: www.mccneb.edu/library
- Click on the Streaming Videos tab
- Click on the blue “Streaming Videos” link
- Click on Microsoft Stream or Docuseek.
- Search by video title---Frenemies: Cuba and the US Embargo
YouTube link for the discussion with director, Mirella Martinelli
LECTURE: Quechua: Beyond the Inca Empire into the 21st Century
Carlos Molina-Vital, Ph.D. candidate, Andean Studies Doctorate-Linguistics, Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru
Beginning with an introduction about Quechua languages and cultures in the Andes, Molina-Vital shares how Quechua communities now have a presence in urban centers and how this has changed the way in which their language is perceived and presented in the public sphere.
Molina-Vital is devoted to the study of the Quechua language family, the largest indigenous linguistic group spoken in the Americas, and has done field work related to the following varieties of Quechua: Huaylas (Ancash, Peru), Chanka (Ayacucho, Peru), and Cuzco (Cuzco, Peru).
A native of Peru, Carlos holds an M.A. in Linguistics from Rice University (2012), another from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru (2005) and is currently finishing his doctoral dissertation on Ancash Quechua middle and spontaneous voice.
DATE: Thursday, October 6
TIME: 6:15-7:15 p.m. CDT
Register for Quechua: Beyond the Inca Empire into the 21st Century
Lecture: Hispanic Art Center of Omaha
Leah Schneider Moreno, Artistic Director & Events Manager
Schneider Moreno moved to Omaha in 2001 and brought her love for traditional dance with her. She has taught Mexican folklórico throughout the metro, including with the Mexican Dance Academy of Nebraska, her original studio.
COVID-19 shut down the studio and she began to dream of her next move— not just for her dancers, but for the entire Latino community.
The Hispanic Art Center of Omaha, opened its doors in March 2022 for dance classes. Music and theater training will be available for all ages. Learn how the Hispanic Art Center of Omaha welcomes all to the center, especially immigrants looking to continue their traditions. Presentation will include traditional Mexican dance components.
DATE: Wednesday, October 12
TIME: 10:30-11:45 a.m. CDT
Watch the Hispanic Art Center of Omaha dancing again
ACCOMMODATIONS: Audience members requiring accommodations due to a disability must contact Barbara Velazquez, bvelazquez@mccneb.edu, 531-622-2253 at least two weeks prior to the program.
