TCC welcomes scholar-activists for Hispanic Heritage Month

Tidewater Community College celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month under the national theme, “Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope.”

The college will host two virtual events for students and the community. The first is the keynote address by Rosa Alicia Clemente, a journalist, political commentator, producer and scholar-activist.

Clemente‘s remarks are entitled “When A Puerto Rican Ran For Vice President And No One Knew Her Name.” She will share her presentation on Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. To register for the virtual event, use this link. The hour-long program will include a question-and-answer session moderated by TCC Spanish professor Jessica Lynam, Ph.D.

In 2008, Clemente became the first Black-Latina to run for Vice-President of the United States on the Green Party ticket. She is also creator of Know Thy Self Productions. Clemente is associate producer on the 2021 Oscar-winning biographical film “Judas and the Black Messiah.” She is currently completing her Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The college will also host Juan Raúl Ferreira, Ph.D. to speak about “Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Challenges for Latinx Across the Borders” on Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. via Zoom using this link and passcode: 23501. The presentation is produced by TCC Spanish professor Gabriela Toletti, Ph.D. in partnership with the Global and Intercultural Learning Committee and the “My Thoughts. My Voice. My Art.” initiative.

Ferreira is a lecturer, journalist, writer, human rights activist and international consultant. He has been Uruguayan Representative, Uruguayan Senator, Ambassador to Argentina, and President of the National Institution of Human Rights. Ferreira will analyze the unique challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has posed for Latinx across the borders. Some Latin American governments have used the health crisis to impose unpopular policies knowing that there would be no mobilization against them. Ferreira will address underlying inequities and threats that the pandemic has unveiled, and he will present strategies to advance human rights.

Toletti will lead a Question and Answer session with Ferreira after the presentation.

For more information about these events, email Alicia Phillips at aphillips@tcc.edu or Gabriella Toletti at gtoletti@tcc.edu.