OK, February is going to be one big, long Valentine to Latinos. That’s because the University of Richmond was one of 203 recipients nationwide (and one of only three in Virginia) to get a piece of $1.48 million earmarked by the NEH and the American Library Association for “Latino Americans: 500 Years of History.”
As part of the grant, the university will host host public screenings of a six-part documentary about the rich and varied contributions of Latinos to our country – plus they’ll add other public programming, including discussion groups, oral histories, local history exhibitions, multi-media projects, performances, and other programs on Latino history and culture. (Here is the link to what will be going on at the University of Richmond all month long.)
I especially love that Dr Laura Browder and Dr. Patricia Herrera, who secured the grant, have created events specifically around the Latino experience in Virginia. The south has seen an enormous growth in the Latino population, and certainly that is true of Richmond. Who are the Latinos who call the commonwealth home? What are the perceptions and misperceptions of us as a group? What impact have we made on our city and counties? And, the ever-elusive question: Will any of us ever learn how to make a proper ham biscuit?
It’s such an honor to be part of this, both as an author and as a Virginian. Not many people know that I was born in Alexandria, Virginia, where my parents first settled when they arrived from Cuba. I was raised in New York City, but I returned to Virginia to raise my children here.
I hope you’ll join me as part of the series. I’ll be offering a talk on Latino families in books, how it looks in the south, and what the impact of geography is on the immigrant story.
See you at the Richmond Public Library on Thurs, Feb. 18, 6:30 PM. 101 East Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
This sounds like a fabulous event! So glad you’ll be part of it. Don’t you worry about ham biscuits – you just keep making your killer Cuban roast pork!