With the Fall term behind us, we have two exciting and interesting Vistas seasonal events. The idea behind Vistas is to have 30 minute “windows” into daily life and special occasions all through the hemisphere, connecting with alumni, colleagues and friends with whom we will engage in unstructured conversations. We hope to be able to bridge academic interests and daily life in an informal exchange covering customs, happenings and quotidian routines. Each Vista will then be available through our digital outlets for future reference and enjoyment.
Our two first two events center around unique seasonal celebrations connected to Catholic traditions in Nicaragua and Colombia, celebrating the Immaculate Conception (Steelers fans are allowed to think of a 1972 miracle). ThePurísima is a centuries old tradition that started in the then capital of Nicaragua, León. Over time, Granada, a city that was also founded in 1524, developed its own version of the celebration. In Colombia, La Noche de las Velitas is a unique tradition that lights up the city, including new ways of lighting up the night.
Do join us as we head into the Holiday Season and celebrate all the good that happened in the midst of this unusual year.
NPR interview with Luis Jimenez, CLAS/Pitt Alum and a Social and Public Policy Certificate Fellow
https://www.wgbh.org/.../trump-improves-with...
Joe Biden won Massachusetts handily in the presidential election, but President Donald Trump did better than a lot of people were expecting in communities with large Latinx populations, including cities like Lawrence and New Bedford. GBH All Things Considered host Arun Rath discussed the Latinx vote with UMass Boston Political Science Professor Luis Jiménez, with the college's Gaston Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy Publications. This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Request for Proposals:
Year of Engagement Funding Opportunity
The first of three deadlines for proposals for
the 2020-2021 academic year is October 1, 2020.
The Year of Engagement is an unprecedented opportunity to position the University of Pittsburgh as a global leader in engagement. The Funding Committee invites students, staff and faculty to build partnerships that confront challenges and co-create solutions at the institutional, local, regional, statewide, national or international levels in the 2020-21 academic year and beyond. Applications for up to $8,000 to support new programs, events, productions, curricula, convenings, experiments, operational improvements, practices, research, product development and other possibilities toward reaching this goal are invited. The Funding Committee encourages the submission of applications throughout the month of September to kick start the year with exciting engagement activities! During September the Funding Committee will be reviewing proposals as they are submitted.
For some time now, Pitt has been working hard to respond to amplify resources related to racial and ethnic disparities. In 2020, following events that made the urgency of related issues clearer to people around the world, additional efforts and resources have been made available. It is then relevant to highlight some useful links to enhance understanding and contribute to an increasingly equitable and prosperous world for everyone.
The Student Emergency Assistance Fund is a joint venture led by the Office of the Provost, Office of Philanthropic & Alumni Engagement, Student Government Board, the Graduate & Professional Student Government, and the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. The health and safety of our Pitt community, particularly our students, is paramount.
The fund, to be administered at the direction of the Provost, will be used to provide financial support for degree-seeking students of the University of Pittsburgh with unanticipated and insurmountable expenses related to emergency situations that may result in students facing financial hardship. Undergraduate, graduate, and professional students may apply for funds when they experience a financial barrier based on an emergency situation, and when they have exhausted all other available resources.
Chancellor Patrick Gallagher called upon the University to acknowledge our role in the response during this time of great challenge… Join us in Pitt’s Pandemic Service Initiative: expanding staff, faculty, and student service; contributing to drives and collections; and forging innovative partnerships. We are rolling up our sleeves.
PANDEMIC RESPONSE SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
As part of the Pitt Pandemic Service Initiative, faculty, staff, and students are coming together to meet critical community needs. You can make a difference with even just a small amount of time. Priority needs identified by community partners include care and connection calls and IT support.
We’re committed to being a University of the community. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pitt students, faculty, and staff are volunteering to provide technology support, well-checks, and a host of other forms of support.
For community members, this means access to resources and information.
CLAS' community engagement programs play a pivotal role in sharing information and expertise on Latin America to educators both at the college/university level and kindergarten through secondary (K-12) level, the professional community, and general public as part of its Educational Public Service (Outreach) mission.
Community Engagement programs are offered throughout the academic year. These include but are not limited to: professional development workshops, study abroad opportunities, faculty development seminars, summer research fellowships, curriculum development projects, school visit program, lecture and film series, resource lending library, list of Latin American Organizations in Pittsburgh, and newsletters, including CLASicos and a weekly newsletter.
The Housing Assistance Resources Portal (HARP) for the City of Pittsburgh is a guide that offers housing-related resources whether you are interested in renting, currently renting, interested in buying a house, a current home-owner, a landlord, or currently experiencing homelessness. This tool is meant to be representative and inclusive of all City of Pittsburgh residents, in every neighborhood, from every income level and every community.
"Housing, especially affordable housing, will always be a premier issue of my administration and staff as long as there are City of Pittsburgh residents who are impacted by housing concerns. Housing is a human right." -Mayor William Peduto
Events:
To see the latest events happening in our community, please"CLICK HERE". You will see a list of events by date.
We are creating a list of local Latin American and Caribbean cuisine offerings to support and promote your business. Please complete the included survey to help us identify you and find out what services you offer (delivery, takeout, hours, menu, etc.).
We plan to share this list with other local organizations, and promote it in our newsletter and email list. We hope that you take the time to answer this questionnaire. Thank you!
ClickHEREto see the list of local Latin American and Caribbean Cuisine you can order!
(Call for papers, training, conferences, academic, research, and resources opportunities)
For call for papers, training and conferences: Call for papers, training and conferences opportunities are listed by deadline dates and are updated as information is available.
