The power of “we” leadership

NEW LONDON—National Dance Company and School, Ballet Hispánico, looks to showcase and celebrate the diversity of Hispanic/Latino American cultures this Hispanic Heritage Month at the Garde Arts Center in New London on Friday, October 6. The New York City-based organization performs in Connecticut every two to three years with varying contemporary and cultural productions, shared CEO and Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro. “I became an artist because of this company, and I was so enamored of it because it spoke to belonging,” Vilaro told CT Latino News. “And feeling connected, that doesn't happen immediately to immigrants or immigrant children—It's a process. So, I found this incredible space that embraces otherness and that embraces my culture.” Born in Cuba and raised in New York, Vilaro has dedicated his career to exploring and honoring the intersectionality within Latin American experiences.  He has created over 40 ballets—showcased across the country—received the Ruth Page [...]

HARTFORD—TheaterWorks Hartford opens its 38th season this Friday with the grand premiere of the rock musical, “Lizzie”, Friday night.  The contemporary performance—composed by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer, Tim Maner, and Alan Stevens Hewitt—re-tells the infamous case of Lizzie Borden, exploring the 19th-century ax murderer’s controversial acquittal through a searing rock score.  “Coming from Massachusetts, the Lizzie Borden story is a familiar part of my childhood,” TheaterWorks Hartford Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero shared. “I’ve wanted to tell some version of it on stage for years. After seeing the Broadway tour of Six recently, I immediately thought again of Lizzie, a musical project that was brought to me years ago. And I knew, this is the Lizzie story for TheaterWorks Hartford and now is the moment to tell it.”  “Lizzie” runs from September 19 through October 22 at TheaterWorks Hartford’s historical property at 233 Pearl Street. Directed by Lainie Sakakura with music direction [...]

How Bilingual Seniors and Children Are Supporting Each Other in Hartford.

HARTFORD—Over the next two years, the Connecticut State Library (CSL) will design and apply a replicable system that shares digital navigation services to underserved communities across the state. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded the CSL’s Division of Library Development a National Leadership Grant of almost $250,000 to run this initiative that will be largely executed in the next year. Eight public libraries will be collaborating in this effort—including the Bridgeport Public Library, Derby Public Library, Hamden Public Library, Howard Whittemore Memorial Library, Naugatuck, New Haven Free Public Library, Wallingford Public Library, West Haven Public Library, and Woodbridge Town Library. The National Leadership Grant for Libraries Program looks to support a variety of projects, including those that strengthen library services to address the critical needs of its surrounding communities, according to the IMLS website.  The State Library of Connecticut’s Regional Navigator Sharing Plan includes distributing [...]

Little Village, Humboldt Park, and Pilsen are just some neighborhoods that exemplify communities known for high-volume of Latinos. When asked to point to where Latinos in Illinois live, one might describe 26th Street, adorned by the famous terracotta arch. But while Chicago is undeniably rich with Latino culture, more than 50% of Illinois’ Latinos reside in the suburbs.  Latinos in the Suburbs: Challenges & Opportunities is a collaborative project by the Latino Policy Forum, Metropolitan Planning Council and UIC Great Cities Institute which studied issues Latinos living outside of the city limits face, their growth compared to non-Latino neighbors and what improvements can be made. The organizations and community members met at Elgin Community College Thursday to present key findings of the report.  1.2 million Latinos currently live in the suburbs, which has happened at a rapid pace. From 2010 to 2020, only 16% of the Latino population growth [...]