OPENING RECEPTION
Friday, May 4 from 5-9 PM
Café con Leche across from Clark Park in Detroit  at (313) 554-1744.

EXHIBIT
Friday, May 4-Saturday, June 30

CLOSING RECEPTION
Saturday, June 30 from 6:00-8:00PM

For more information, contact Jennifer Garcia Peacock at elmuseodelnorte@gmail.com.

The exhibit is co-Sponsored by CLAVE, El Museo del Norte, and Café con Leche.

The event was opened by CLLAS Associate Director Ethriam Cash Brammer, who acknowledged WSU’s Dr. Joseph Dunbar (Associate Vice-President for Research and Assistant Dean of the Graduate School) and Dr. Robert L. Thomas (Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), before speaking about the importance of education for Latinos.

According to projections, they will be the largest ethnic group by 2050.  This is even more important because of Latinos’ relatively low graduation rates: 62.9% high school graduation rate compared to 87.1% overall, 13.9% college graduation compared to 30% and 3.8% for graduate school compared to 10.7%.

He was followed by a morning keynote address delivered by Dr. Sheila Contreras, Director of MSU’s Chicano/Latino Studies Program.  She shared her observations, as an urban resident (Lansing), especially about urban revival vs. urban replacement.  In the process of neighborhoods changing, there are issues, such as leadership passing the torch to the younger generation and balancing the need to bring in newer businesses while maintaining neighborhoods’ essential character.

Afterward, I sat in on the academic panel entitled Urban Dilemma: Youth Development and The Economy.  It had presentations by UC-Berkeley PhD candidate Teresa Gonzales entitled “Urban Safari: Tourism as Local Economic Development,” where she discussed the possibility of tourism, as a way of showing what is distinctive about cultures rather than reinforcing stereotypes.  Albion College student, Sandy Nahra, in “Marketing to Second-Generation Latinos in the US: How Culture Impacts Perceptions,” discussed how, in attempting to market to second-generation Latinos, marketers end up relying on stereotypes or references that don’t really connect with a segment that doesn’t necessarily identify with their family’s original culture(s).

In the afternoon, I attended the community panel entitled Visual, Literary and Performing Arts, which featured Inga Wilson, artistic director of Planet Ant Theater, as well as YArts arts Program Coordinator at the Boll Family YMCA.  She was accompanied by Ozzie Rivera, Founder of the musical group (BombaRica) and Community Schools Coordinator with Southwest Solutions.  Both Wilson and Rivera discussed some of the challenges that artists can face in pursuing the arts as a career and addressed the perception that there are no jobs.

“There are plenty of jobs, but there is no one gig.  It’s a juggling act,” said Wilson, in explaining how many artists earn a living, while pursuing their work.

Rivera spoke about the artists that he remembered growing up―many of them played at night, after working a full-time job.  Many became educators, as it presented them an opportunity to work with their art, while sharing artistic and cultural traditions with the next generation.

I concluded by participating the professional development panel Research and Writing―Exploring Careers in Social Sciences & Humanities along with Anwar Najor-Durack (Director of Field Education―WSU School of Social Work), Tamara Bray (WSU Professor of Anthopology) and John P. Leary (WSU Assistant Professor of English).

During the panel, Najor-Durack, Bray and Leary answered a variety of questions regarding topics as deciding on a field of study, picking the appropriate school and suggestions on getting into graduate school.  I spoke about some of the practical work-related things that students would need to know for their post-graduation work life.

In the end, CLLAS did a great job of bring panels together to discussing the challenges that Latin-American communities face, as well as bringing attention to the opportunities that exist.  In addition, they stayed to their roots of showcasing the students, who will be the next generation of leaders following in the footsteps of past CLLAS graduates.

He will bring his blend of popular music, Brazilian jazz, Afro-Brasilian and other folkloric sounds that is distinctly his and hard to define.

Tickets are $10 and $9 for museum members.  They are available both in advance and at the door.  There is free, lit parking in the municipal lot north of the museum.

For more information on the museum or other concerts, you can go to museum’s site.

There will be an after party with Orquesta La Inspiracion, starting at 9pm at Club Polo on Allen Road, with a $10 cover charge.

Proceeds for both events benefit The Autism Society of Michigan.

For more information on the even or the course, visit the race website.

There will be several activities for children including a poster design activity.  For the first time, this years’ event will include a college fair.  College planning and academic resources will be available.  Various schools will be on hand to answer questions.

The event is free to attend.

Since the fall of 2009, this year’s spring edition of Detroit Restaurant Week will be the sixth time the promotion has been offered.  The five previous promotions saw participation from almost 160,000 diners, while generating millions in sales for the participating restaurants and area businesses.

The restaurant menus, reservation information and a listing of after dinner activities will be available here soon.

They are proud to once again partner with 21 of Detroit’s finest dining establishments:

• 24Grille
• Andiamo Detroit Riverfront
• Angelina Italian Bistro
• Atlas Global Bistro
• Caucus Club
• Cliff Bell’s
• Coach Insignia
• Cuisine Restaurant
• Da Edoardo Foxtown Grille
• Detroit Seafood Market
• Fountain Bistro
• Iridescence
• La Dolce Vita
• Mosaic Restaurant
• Opus One
• Rattlesnake Club
• Roast
• Roma Cafe
• Saltwater
• The Whitney
• Wolfgang Puck Grille

Location: Mexicantown International Mercado (2826 Bagley, Detroit, MI 48216)
Dates: April 13-May 5, 2012
Opening reception: Friday, April 13, 2012 6–9PM, which includes a special musical performance
Closing reception: Saturday, May 5, 2012 6–9PM.

In the spirit of the Detroit Revealed: Photographs 2000-2010 exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts and, in partnership with the Southwest Artist Network (SWAN), Beyond Borders is a celebration of the life and vibrancy of Southwest Detroit and the community that individual Latino immigrants call home.

Beyond Borders: Latino Immigrants and Southwest Detroit photography project by Carlos Diaz, included in this exhibit, is a part of a body of work funded by a Kresge Foundation Community Arts Grant and completed in collaboration with LASED.

Also, included in this exhibition are SW Detroit artists: Vito Valdez, Erik Howard, Tom Stoye and graffiti artists from The Alley Project (TAP) and others.

During the exhibition, gallery hours are Saturdays 12-5PM or by appointment.

For more info contact, vvaldez@swandetroit.com

This exciting event happens once a month at

American Legion Hall

31775 Grand River Ave,

Farmington, MI 48336

Date: Sunday, April 29, 2012

5:30 – 6:30 –2 levels of salsa lessons

Open dance 6:30 – 10 pm with Detroit’s hottest DJ’s

Only $10

Complimentary Snacks and Refreshments with Cash bar

For more info please visit their Facebook page “YA Salsa”

info@YASalsa.com, or call 734.645.9937

This event has a variety of sessions and panels that will discuss urban revitalization issues in Latino/a communities such as:

Education
Healthcare Access
Urban Agriculture & Greening
Community Leadership & Engagement
Latin American Immigration to Urban America
Urban Infrastructure
Activism & Public Policy
Economic Development & Entrepreneurism
Urban Latino/a Culture & Identity

In addition, there will be a career fair for all students.

For information, contact Tamara Serrano at 313-577-4378 or tamaraserrano@wayne.edu.