Latino/a Children’s Books: Issues and the Role of Libraries and Community Advocacy

Public Reception and Conversation

Latino/a Children’s Books: Issues and the Role of Libraries and Community Advocacy

Come and share an evening with Armando Rendón, Editor- Founder of Somos en Escrito Magazine & Oralia Garza de Cortés, Children’s Literature Specialist, Library Advocate and IndependentScholar.  The discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Angela Valenzuela, Director of the Texas Center for Education Policy, College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin.  Please RSVP to Clarissa Riojas cissa1593@yahoo.com as seating may be limited.  Also, visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/720745421276023/

Date and Time:  Friday, September 20, 2013

                                6:00 to 8:00pm

Location:  Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center http://austintexas.gov/department/emma-s-barrientos-mexican-american-cultural-center

                        Black Box Theater

                        600 River St.

                        Austin, Texas 78701

PROGRAM

6:00 Welcome and Introductions

6:15  Presentation by Armando Rendón on his newly published Latino/a children’s book titled, “Noldo and his magical scooter at the Battle of the Alamo,” published by Floricanto Press.

6:45  Presentation by Oralia Garza de Cortés on key issues of accessibility in the publishing of Latino/a children’s literature, as well as community advocacy for literature that matters and library programs and services to promote Latino literacy in the community.

7:15-7:45 Conversation

7:45 Reception

Co-sponsors: City of Austin, Austin Parks and Recreation, El Corazón De Tejas, Central Texas Chapter of REFORMA, Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club, Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies, Benson Latin American Collection, Center for Mexican American Studies and the Texas Center for Education Policy at the University of Texas at Austin, and the National Latino Education Research and Policy Project,

BIOGRAPHIES

Armando Rendón, J.D.

Armando Rendón grew up in the Westside barrio of San Antonio, Texas, and much of our hero’s story and background sounds a lot like the life and times of the author. Armando moved to California in 1950, but he stored away his childhood memories, he now believes, so he could write this first in a planned series of stories about the adventures of a Mexican-American boy growing up in a challenging period in U.S. history during and right after World War II.  He authored Chicano Manifesto, the first book about Chicanos by a Chicano, in 1971. He is also the founder and editor of the online literary magazine, Somos en escrito, which he launched in November 2009; it can be accessed at www.somosenescrito.blogspot.com.  He is a Juris Doctor from The American University in Washington, D.C., which he used to further human rights for indigenous peoples, particularly Chicanos.  He holds an M.A. degree from the Antioch Graduate School of Education, and a B.A. from Saint Mary’s College, Moraga, California. He served as a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau for the 1980 Census, helping promote filling in of the census especially among Hispanic and American Indian peoples. Armando now lives near Berkeley, California, with his wife, Helen. Their four children live close by, which makes for a fun profession: grandpa of five grandchildren.  He may be reached at somossubmissions@gmail.com, or 510-219-9139.

Oralia Garza de Cortés

Librarian, bibliographer, researcher, independent scholar, and literacy advocate, Oralia Garza de Cortés is a leading voice for children’s literature and library and literacy services for Latino children and families. A native of Brownsville, Texas, she is Past President of REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, an American Library Association affiliate. In 1996, Garza de Cortés co-founded the Pura Belpré Award, a children’s literature award established within the American Library Association that honors Latino authors and illustrators of books that exemplify the best in Latino writing and illustration for children. The first Latina elected by the membership in 1995 to serve on the Board of Directors of ALSC, the Children’s Division of the Association of Library Services for Children, she was also the first Latina children's librarian elected to serve on the prestigious Caldecott Committee in 2000.  Ms. Garza de Cortés has also served on numerous other children’s book award committees, including the Américas Children’s Literature Award, the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, the International Board of Books for Young People (IBBY) Hans Christian Andersen Award and the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award for Social Justice ( 2006- 2012).  Additionally, she has played a leading role in advocating for library and community programs in celebration of April 30^th, El día de los Niños/El día de los libros, a now annual national literacy event that celebrates children, books, languages and cultures throughout the United States. She is the 2010 Arnulfo Trejo REFORMA Librarian of the Year and received the REFORMA Library Advocacy Award in 2012 from the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color.

Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D.

Angela Valenzuela is a professor in Education Policy and Planning Program within the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Texas at Austin where she also serves as the director of the University of Texas Center for Education Policy and director of the National Latino/a Education Research and Policy Project.