Press Release: 09/26/08

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/OPPORTUNITY FOR COVERAGE

TO: All News Directors

MEDIA CONTACT:
Cjala Surratt
P: 315.442.2943
F: 315.442.2972
E: casurrat@syr.edu
URL: www.communityfolkartcenter.org

COMMUNITY FOLK ART CENTER (CFAC)

!Viva la raza! ("Long live the people")

A Celebration of Latino Language, Culture, and Arts

Instructor: Monica Garcia-Taylor
Kids Class: !Viva la raza! ("Long live the people")
Ages: 6 – 8
Day: Saturday
Time: 11:00 am - 1:00pm
Class Schedule: October 4, 11, 18, 25
Registration Cost: $40.00 per session (4 weeks) or $10.00 per class
Location: Community Folk Art Center
Phone: 315.442.2230
Address: 805 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210

(Syracuse, NY) – In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Community Folk Art Center will kick off! Viva la raza! ("Long live the people") Saturday, October 4th, 2008. These Saturday morning classes for children 1st through 3rd grade will weave together storytelling, Spanish-language, and Latino folk arts for an interdisciplinary celebration of Latino Heritage Month. Lessons incorporate cultural holidays such as Día de la Raza, Día de los Muertos and Indigenous Rights Day, which celebrate, respectively, people, life, and peace! Art activities include making veijante masks (Puerto Rico), worry dolls (Guatemala), textile designs of the Huichol (Mexico and Guatemala), and calaveras (Latin America).

The language component of each class teaches conversational skills with an emphasis on interactive games, focusing on Spanish phrases your child can use in daily life.

Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15th is nationally recognized as the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a most appropriate date as it marks the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico declared its independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18.

Celebrated September 15th thru October 15th Hispanic Heritage Month calls upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to recognize and celebrate the rich heritage, culture and contributions of the Hispanic Community.

The Community Folk Art Center is a branch of the African American Studies Department in the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University. CFAC is a vibrant cultural and artistic hub committed to the promotion and development of artists of the African Diaspora. The mission of the center is to exalt cultural and artistic pluralism by collecting, exhibiting, teaching and interpreting the visual & expressive arts. Public programming includes exhibitions, film screenings, gallery talks, workshops and courses in the studio arts, including dance and ceramics.

For further information about !Viva la raza! and other children’s classes at the Community Folk Art Center please contact Qiana Williams at 315.442.2573 or via email at qkwillia@syr.edu.