Park Library manager Graciela Rivera (center) donating boxes of food to La Bodeguita, a local non-profit organization
Thanks to Cigna’s donation of 500 boxes of unperishable food, Hartford Public Library is able nourish the body as well as the mind.
The first big distribution of food took place this week. Park Library manager Graciela Rivera coordinated the donation of 150 boxes of prepackaged food to La Bodeguita de la Gente, which was delivered on Tuesday, October 13. It took two trips with a full pickup truck to bring the food to the organization’s storefront, located almost directly between the current and the future Park Libraries.
La Bodeguita de la Gente (“The Little Store of the People”) takes care of some of the most vulnerable people in Hartford – undocumented immigrants, many of whom come from broken homes or were the victims of domestic violence. The pandemic, coupled with a hostile federal government, made it so that almost impossible for these families to seek help.
“As a result of the pandemic, one of the issues that we became aware of was the exclusion of many immigrant families from government aid and programs such as WIC. Many of those families were fired from their jobs and didn’t qualify for unemployment. Other families got the virus but didn’t have access to affordable health care,” said founders Xiomy A. de la Cruz and Ingmar I. Riveros Torres in a letter to supporters.
Cigna’s food boxes – filled with staples like pasta, beans, oatmeal, and much more – helped address some issues of food insecurity. “When we heard that Cigna had donated boxes of food and was looking for us to partner with different organizations to distribute the boxes, I knew (La Bodeguita) was perfect,” Rivera said.
The partnership with La Bodeguita is just one way HPL is getting the food to people who need it the most. “The need continues to grow,” Rivera said.
Irene Blean, manager of the Barbour Library, will be distributing over 100 boxes of food at a health literacy fair held on October 27 from noon to 3 pm. “I was so excited. Right away I asked, could I have 100 please?” Blean said.
Food boxes will also be distributed at the Arch Street entrance of the Downtown Library on Tuesday 10/20 and 10/27 from 2-4 pm and Thursday 10/22 and 10/29 10 am-12 pm.
Rivera, like many of HPL’s librarians, is a believer in partnership. By seeking out and working with trusted community organizations, both large ones like Cigna, and smaller ones like La Bodeguita, Hartford Public Library is in a position to amplify everyone’s work. Because of efforts like this, more people get help.
“Libraries are a place for everything,” Rivera said.
– By Steven Scarpa, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
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Michelle McFarland and Julie Carroll
HPL staff members Michelle McFarland and Julie Carroll set up shop with the Library on Wheels Friday morning on Gillett Street in conjunction with Foodshare’s food distribution efforts.
As people received colorful bags of fruits and vegetables, Carroll and McFarland offered books, voting information, and overall good cheer on October 9th’s warm Fall morning. “At an event like this my goal is to show how HPL is still providing service throughout the city even the buildings have limited access,” McFarland said.
There is nothing passive about McFarland’s efforts. As people walked past a table covered in books, McFarland asked what they liked, teasing out specifics with a question or two (“What kind of history do you like? History is huge.”). If it wasn’t on the table, she bounced back in the truck and looked to see what was in there. More often than not, she found just what the person was interested in.
McFarland gave bags of kids’ books to grandparents looking for something for their grandkids. She suggested to people a book on the Harlem Renaissance and Barack Obama’s book “The Audacity of Hope.” She passed on Spanish language books. The books all went fairly quickly. “You can take whatever you like,” she said.
While McFarland distributed books Julie Carroll, a longtime HPL library assistant, began to canvas people in line. “Did you get a chance to register to vote? Would you like to register?” she said.
When someone said that they had signed up to vote, Carroll gave them a couple of fliers with a list of websites that told them how to exercise their right and information on who was on the ballot.
In the build up to the 2020 presidential election, Carroll has embraced the library’s continued efforts at voter registration. “It’s very important so people have a say in choosing their leaders. It’s such an important election,” Carroll said.
Carroll said that her canvassing efforts are well-received. On Friday morning, she approached about 60 people. The vast majority had already registered, Carroll said, but people pledged to pass along her fliers to their loved ones who haven’t yet signed up to vote. She’s handed out about 500 fliers at various events thus far. When a young woman did register to vote, McFarland and Carroll gave her a round of applause.
“This is at the very heart of the library’s mission, to promote democracy and civic engagement. We want to get people involved and get them knowledgeable about what the issues are,” Carroll said.
Friday’s effort got to right to heart of HPL’s efforts over the past several months to address prominent issues, like voter registration and the 2020 Census, and to offer people service where they need it. The coronavirus may have limited people’s access to the library, but the staff continued to find innovative ways to extend service.
“People are still hurting. This has been hard,” McFarland said.
Mae Drayton
Mae Drayton, a lifelong city resident, picked up some books for her grandkids. “Every time I go I pick up a book,” Drayton said.
Like many people who love and believe in libraries, Drayton got her first taste as a child. It was her favorite thing to do. She remembered working her way through the “blue biographies” of famous people, like Abraham Lincoln. For Drayton, the library was a safe and happy place. “I went every morning,” Drayton said.
Audrey Hewitt picked a book about William Shakespeare. She’s not a fan. But after a quick chat with McFarland, she grabbed a bunch of titles she was happy with.
“I read some of the greatest books since I came to this country,” said Hewitt, who was originally from Jamaica.
McFarland is out with the LOW all over the city, both at their own stops and at Foodshare events. She sees first-hand the needs the library addresses. “The library really is a trusted spot in the community,” McFarland said.
By Steven Scarpa, Communications and Public Relations Manager
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Hartford Public Library will now offer free access to streaming video of TheaterWorks Hartford’s productions to all Hartford residents with an HPL library card, starting with its upcoming production of Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy by Sarah Gancher.
“We are so excited to offer TheaterWorks’ productions to our customers. Hartford is a place of immense artistic vitality and as a cultural conduit, Hartford Public Library is in a unique position to help share the city’s good work. We are excited to count TheaterWorks among our offerings,” said Bridget Quinn-Carey, HPL’s president and CEO.
Producing Artistic Director, Rob Ruggiero added “We’ve been interested in partnering with Hartford Public Library for some time. In a year filled with challenges, we’re thankful that one of the outcomes is we can offer Hartford residents access to more great storytelling. TheaterWorks is firmly rooted in this community and grateful to call Hartford home.”
Access to the performances can be checked out through the library’s museum pass system, found here, starting the first day of each play’s livestream dates. Each stream is good for 24 hours after checkout.
Working with Hartford Public Library is part of TheaterWorks’ effort to create greater access to the arts. TheaterWorks believes that theater and storytelling play an essential role in building strong communities and creating important social discourse.
Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy by Sarah Gancher will be live streamed October 20th – 24th. The play will be presented as recorded streaming October 25 – November 2.
Zoom into the office of a Russian troll farm bent on impacting the 2016 U.S. election. If the provocative play proves too appalling, the absurd laughs will keep you glued to your screen. This play was created for streaming.
For more information about TheaterWorks’, visit twhartford.org. For help with streaming, call 860-527-7838 between 10 am and 4 pm Monday through Friday.
About TheaterWorks Hartford
Celebrating its 35th season, TheaterWorks Hartford (TWH) produces high quality, contemporary theater that is relevant to our audiences, engages a diverse community, and provides insight into the human experience. TWH is committed to the power of storytelling in creating community. Founded in 1985, TWH has produced over 170 plays and presents approximately 225 performances per season. TWH also owns and manages the historic property at 233 Pearl Street, known as City Arts on Pearl. City Arts provides an affordable home and services to a diverse family of non-profit arts organizations.
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Hartford Public Library and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut are teaming up to send volunteers virtually into Hartford Public Schools first grade classrooms to read to students.
Jumpstart’s “Read for the Record,” taking place October 29, is a global campaign which generates public support for high-quality early learning by mobilizing millions of children and adults to take part in the world’s largest shared reading experience. Jumpstart is a national early education organization that works toward the day every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed.
“Hartford Public Library welcomes every opportunity to work with our Boundless partner, Hartford Public Schools, and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut to support early literacy. To be involved with Jumpstart Read for the Record program, which invites the community to read to the students of HPS in English and Spanish, reinforces our efforts to celebrate the importance of reading across all ages. We are excited to be invited to support this program through participating as readers, as well as providing the technological support to make this program a success,” said Bridget Quinn-Carey, HPL president and CEO.
“United Way is committed to early literacy and children reading at grade-level. Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is just one way we act on that commitment. Our virtual read-alouds provide volunteers with an opportunity to stay engaged and for children to benefit, whether they’re in-school or at home,” said Paula S. Gilberto, President and CEO, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. “Through our partnership with Hartford Public Library, Hartford Public Schools, and Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, we’re working to bridge the digital divide.”
“Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away,” written by Meg Medina and illustrated by Sonia Sanchez, is this year’s book. “Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away” is a celebration of lasting friendship, the power of connection, and encountering change.
Hartford Public Library will give a copy of the book to each first grade classroom in Hartford participating in the program. Copies will be made available in English and Spanish. In addition, HPL staff members will participate in virtual readings of Medina’s book.
“This opportunity for the community to read to the children of Hartford not only provides an enriching literacy experience for students, it demonstrates the importance and enjoyment of reading across all ages. Instead of telling children about the importance and joy of reading the community is showing them. This is the most powerful lesson,” said Denise Martens, HPL’s youth and family services manager.
For more information about Jumpstart, visit jstart.org.
For more information about Hartford Public Library, visit hplct.org.
For more information about United Way of Central and Northeastern CT, visit unitedwayinc.org
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The final lineup of panelists and performers has been set for HPL’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration, taking place on Monday, October 12 at 6 pm.
The program, called “Indigenous Futures,” will be shown live on HPL’s Facebook Page.
This Indigenous Peoples’ day join HPL and the Greater Hartford Arts Council to hear local Indigenous peoples’ visions for tomorrow. Over the summer we saw Indigenous artists and organizers shifting culture and society in conjunction with the Black Lives Matter movement: taking down statues of Christopher Columbus and other colonizers around the world, continuing to fight for and win legal victories in land treaties, and changing the name of the Washington Football Team are just a few examples. How do we continue decolonizing the land, our communities, as well as our minds and hearts? What does a pro-Indigenous future look like? Hear perspectives from Indigenous artists, academics, and community leaders.
Featuring panelists Meghanlata Gupta, Melissa Wesaw, Kaleb Garrett, Leslie Caromile, Mark Allen, and moderated by Patricia Kelley.
Featuring performances from Lee Mixashawn Rozie and Bobby Sanchez.
Panelist and Artist Bios:
Meghanlata Gupta (Bahweting Anishinaabe, Mikinaak Doodem) is a current senior at Yale University and president of the Association of Native Americans at Yale. Her research and organizing work focuses on Indigenous education, history, and advocacy. She is the founder of Indigenizing the News, a digital magazine dedicated to Indigenous contemporary news.
Kaleb J Garrett is a Hartford resident of mixed heritage. He is African American and Native American of Nansemond, Haliwa Saponi and Tuscarora tribes.
Melissa Wesaw is a member of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation located in Kent, Connecticut. Wesaw graduated from Rivier College with my B.A., then attended PLSI in Albuquerque, New Mexico and obtained a law degree at Michigan State University College of Law. After law school Wesaw worked as an attorney on the Wind River Reservation as a public defender and a prosecutor for child support. Wesaw now lives in Connecticut with her husband and children.
Patricia Kelley is a former U.S. marine, award-winning community leader and equestrian trailblazer with a storied history as a Black cowgirl, Patricia E. Kelly has been at the helm of the Hartford, CT-based non-profit youth organization Ebony Horsewomen, Inc. Equestrian & Agricultural Center for the past 30+ years.
Lee Mixashawn Rozie is an internationally known jazz performer, educator, grandfather and longtime resident of Hartford. From the community known as the Windsor Indians.
Bobby Sanchez is Peruvian American born and raised in New York. Sanchez is a full time performing artist, performing mostly poetry and hip hop music, teaching music & poetry workshops at New York Schools, and curating local shows in the NY area.
Mark Allen
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There were two things artist George Sweetland was sure about when he was growing up – that he wanted to work with kids and that drawing was a huge part of his life.
Sweetland is sharing his artistic gifts with the Hartford Public Library community. He has created a set of cuddly monsters, called the Mammoth Monster Squad, which have taken up residence in the children’s room. The monsters made their first appearance last year as part of a HPL/Boundless science curriculum, serving as the amusing sidekicks to the lessons.
As a kid growing up in Portland, Sweetland watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Thundercats, and He-Man. He liked the old stop-action Sinbad movies. He loved comic books. “With that and the action figures, my imagination was going all the time,” said Sweetland, a 37-year-old third grade teacher at Buckley Elementary School in Manchester.
It was the joyful anarchy of Maurice Sendak’s drawings in “Where The Wild Things Are” that made Sweetland believe that his hobby of drawing fantastical images of monsters could become something more.
He grew up, went to Eastern Connecticut State University, majored in theatre, decided to become an elementary school teacher. Throughout all of it, he never left drawing behind. It was just a matter of how this love was going to manifest itself. “For a long time, I kept my art to myself,” he said.
Sweetland sketched with colored pencils, finding that there were limits to what he could accomplish in that medium. It was only a few years ago, with the development of the Procreate app for IPad that he was able to truly make the art he imagined.
Rest assured, Sweetland’s monsters are far from scary. The line drawings are whimsical and inventive, the personalities of each character leaping off the page. The colors are bright and the overall sensibility is playful.
“I like to play with shapes,” he said. Sweetland’s monsters are often squares or cylindrical with large round eyes. “I want them to look like something that a kid would never be scared to go near, a monster that would be their friend … I hope that (a kid who sees his work) will want to pick up a pencil and draw too.”
Sweetland likes to ground his work in something realistic and introduce the fantastical element as a twist. He grabs the ideas for his work everywhere. The list of mock book covers on his website show the breadth of his imagination – “The Neighborhood Dragon,” “Got Ducks,” and “The Everyday Life of a Superhero.” They might just be covers and ideas now, but Sweetland fully intends to write those stories.
“They come from my head and places I don’t know,” Sweetland said.
Sweetland loves being a third grade teacher – and said that his students are often his best focus group. His long term dream is to be a full time children’s book author and illustrator, yet one more way he believes he can have a positive impact on the lives of children. The path is a difficult one. He has certainly experienced his share of rejection. But he believes that thanks to his immersion in the world of picture books at schools and his own fortitude, the future is bright.
“Things are starting to pick up a bit more for me,” he said. “You have to stay true to yourself and you can’t give up. I took (the rejection) as motivation to keep pushing myself. If I can keep working on this, I’ll find an agent who will believe in my work. If you keep working hard, things will happen.”
There are some nights Sweetland’s wife will call him to bed. It will be about 10:30 or so. He’ll be working, immersed in his drawing, the pen and pencils capturing the visions in his mind, and he’ll assure her he’ll be up in a few minutes. Before he knows it, it’s 1:30 am, the monsters are dancing across the page and Sweetland is happy. “It brings me to a place like nothing else does,” Sweetland said.
For more information about George’s work, visit georgesweetland.org.
By Steve Scarpa, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
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Hartford Public Library received a $211,194 grant from The Institute of Museum and Library Services to fund a new digital literacy training program.
“This was a very competitive process, and our success in securing federal grants is a testament to the reputation, proven results, grant writing skills and experience of our This American Place staff, under the leadership of Homa Naficy,” said Bridget Quinn-Carey, Hartford Public Library’s president and CEO.
The funded projects were selected from 1,701 applications. The grants will support only 68 museum and library service projects that will take place over the next two years.
The funding will enable HPL to provide critical digital literacy skills training for Hartford residents.
In Hartford, a city with a poverty rate of 31%, the Digital Divide continues to be a pervasive issue and contributes to the persistent opportunity gap facing large segments of our community. The share of Hartford households with Internet access is 57.7% and at least 20,000 households are without Internet access.
“Unsurprisingly, those areas with the least connectivity are also the most economically disadvantaged,” Quinn-Carey said.
In addition, the pandemic has exposed the fact that U.S. industries are lacking in employing adequate numbers of skilled workers able to respond to the high demand for services and goods related to keeping healthcare workers, patients and the general public, healthy and secure. HPL’s training program will join the effort to create and advance programs that expand economic opportunities for workers and their families while boosting local businesses’ capacity.
The training will utilize a flexible Blended Learning approach, combining online educational coursework with remote live daily tutoring, including weekends and evenings. “We believe, individualized attention provides our learners not only with academic and technical support, but more importantly, it offers ongoing encouragement during these difficult times,” said Homa Naficy, executive director of The American Place.
This project will deliver integrated digital and industry-certificate trainings. It will target low income adults enrolled/enrolling in a high school diploma or certificate training program. It will prioritize those individuals residing in Hartford’s federally designated Promise Zone, which encompasses one of the highest rates of poverty and digital exclusion in the region and nation.
The online coursework provides lessons in computer basic literacies and productivity skills as well as industry certificate trainings. The coursework may be completed at the Library or any place with Internet access. Once enrolled, progress is monitored by staff from The American Place. Students will be contacted regularly to make sure they are on track to finish the program in a timely manner.
“Digital literacy is more than just an educational concern. The pervasiveness of the digital divide is a social justice issue, preventing the vulnerable in our communities from improving their lives and providing for their families. The fallout from this problem is wide-reaching. This program will allow HPL to address the problem directly. By helping to increase people’s skills, we hope to make a large impact on the quality of life in all of Hartford,” Quinn-Carey said.
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Hartford Public Library, in partnership with the Greater Hartford Arts Council, will host a conversation and performance called “Indigenous Futures” taking place on Monday, October 12 at 6 pm
This event will celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day and was planned in collaboration with local Indigenous HPL patrons and the Greater Hartford Arts Council Artist Advisory Committee. The event will feature poetry readings and musical performances, will be streamed live on HPL’s Facebook channel.
This Indigenous Peoples’ day, hear local Indigenous peoples’ visions for tomorrow. This summer we saw Indigenous artists and organizers shifting culture and society in conjunction with the Black Lives Matter movement: taking down statues of Christopher Columbus and other colonizers around the world, continuing to fight for and win legal victories in land treaties, and changing the name of the Washington Football Team are just a few examples. How do we continue decolonizing the land, our communities, as well as our minds and hearts? What does a pro-Indigenous future look like? Hear perspectives from Indigenous artists, academics, and community leaders.
“Hartford Public Library and the Greater Hartford Arts Council recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day by celebrating and highlighting local Indigenous artists and hosting a space for connection and education around issues important to Indigenous communities in Connecticut. We are especially interested in hearing how local Indigenous people are visioning the future of their communities and how all of us can support those visions,” said Liz Castle, HPL’s programmingmanager.
Featuring panelists Meghanlata Gupta, Kaleb Garrett, and others.
Lee Mixashawn Rozie
And featuring performances from Indigenous artists Bobby Sanchez, Lee Mixashawn Rozie, and others.
Panelist Bios
Meghanlata Gupta is an Indian and Ojibwe student at Yale University and works at the Native American Cultural Center. Her research and organizing work sits at the intersections of Indigenous advocacy, histories, and storytelling. She is also the founder of Indigenizing the News, a digital magazine dedicated to increasing Indigenous visibility in the news media and education.
Kaleb J Garrett is a Hartford resident of mixed heritage. He is African American and Native American of Nansemond, Haliwa Saponi and Tuscarora tribes.
Bobby Sanchez is a two spirit poet from New York. They are a performing artist, performing mostly poetry and hip hop music. They also teach music & poetry workshops in schools, and curate local shows in the NY area.
Lee Mixashawn Rozie is a practicing multi-disciplinary and internationally acclaimed Jazz artist. Mr. Rozie holds a degree in History and Ethnomusicology from Trinity College and is equally at home in academic and cultural settings. Beginning from the point of Indigenous artist, using ancient cultural principles, maritime arts and historical data, both written and oral, he has developed a system of “Hemispheric Principles” to inform and guide his artform, more directly referred to as “Wave Art” : sonic, aquatic percussive and harmonic.
For more information about Hartford Public Library, visit hplct.org.
For more information about the Greater Hartford Arts Council, visit letsgoarts.org.
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In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Graciela Rivera, branch manager of the Park Street Library and curator of HPL’s Spanish language collection, has put together a collection of important fiction and non-fiction books written by Hispanic/Latino authors.
“When I think of Hispanic Heritage month, I think of an array of Hispanic/Latino authors who although they may not live here, have made an impact on the United States through their writing,” Rivera said.
FICTION
You Had me at Hola by Alexis Daria, ** HPL staff favorite
“Alexis Daria is a native New Yorker and award-winning author writing stories about successful Latinx characters and their (occasionally messy) familias. Her debut TAKE THE LEAD won the 2018 RITA® Award for “Best First Book” and was one of the “Best Romance Novels of 2017″ in The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly”. (info. from Amazon.com). Available at HPL as hardcopy from Barbour.
With the Fire on High, by Elizabeth Acevedo
“Elizabeth Acevedo is a slam poetry champion whose sophomore novel With the Fire on Highleaves no doubt that Acevedo is an author to watch. This book follows Emoni, an Afro-Dominican chef-in-training and teen mother set on pursuing her culinary dreams. This book is an ode to family, food, and forging your own path.” (info. from themujerista.com). Available at HPL as an audio book, ebook, and hardcopy.
Halsey Street, by Naima Coster
“A debut novel from Dominican-American writer Naima Coster. In a vivid, realist style, Halsey Street blends African American and Latin American narratives of gentrification and immigration. The story carefully examines complicated family relationships, love, art, and healing.”(info. from themujerista.com). Four hardcopies available at HPL.
“Afterlife” by Julia Alvarez
“A literature professor tries to rediscover who she is after the sudden death of her husband, even as a series of family and political jolts force her to ask what we owe those in crisis in our families, biological or otherwise”– Provided by publisher. Julia Alvarez left the Dominican Republic for the United States in 1960 at the age of ten. She is the author of six novels, three books of nonfiction, three collections of poetry, and eleven books for children and young adults.” (info. from Amazon). 3 hardcopies available at HPL. HPL also owns copies of all of Julia Alvarez’s books.
Mario Vargas Llosa, “Feast of the Goat”
Haunted all her life by feelings of terror and emptiness, forty-nine-year-old Urania Cabral returns to her native Dominican Republic – and finds herself reliving the events of l961, when the capital was still called Trujillo City and one old man terrorized a nation of three million. Rafael Trujillo, the depraved ailing dictator whom Dominicans call the Goat, controls his inner circle with a combination of violence and blackmail. (Amazon.com)
Noble Prize laureate Mario Vargas Llosa is a Peruvian-Spanish writer who is one of the most significant Latin American personalities of his generation. He is also a politician, journalist and essayist. Llosa was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in literature. (www.famousauthors.org) Two hardcopies available at HPL in English, and two hardcopies available in Spanish.
NON-FICTION
Reyna Grande. A Dream Called Home: A Memoir.
“An inspiring account of one woman’s quest to find her place in America as a first-generation Latina university student and aspiring writer determined to build a new life for her family one fearless word at a time. Told in Reyna’s exquisite, heartfelt prose, A Dream Called Home demonstrates how, by daring to pursue her dreams, Reyna was able to build the one thing she had always longed for: a home that would endure.” (info. from Amazon). Twenty-five hardcopies available at HPL.
*Please note Reyna Grande was HPL’s Beyond Words Special guest author last year. She was also featured on our winter 2020 magazine.
“Loose Women” by Sandra Cisneros
Most famous for writing “The House on Mango Street”, has sold over six million copies, which have been translated into over twenty languages, and is required reading in elementary, high school, and universities across the nation.” (info. from Sandracisneros.com).
Although published in 1995, “Loose Women” recently became winner of the 2018 PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature. Two hardcopies available at HPL
Sonia Sotomayor, “My Beloved World”
“An instant American icon–the first Hispanic on the U.S. Supreme Court–tells the story of her life before becoming a judge in an inspiring, surprisingly personal memoir…(info. from HPL’s catalog). Four hardcopies available in English, and one in Spanish at HPL
Maricel E. Presilla, Gran cocina latina : the food of Latin America,
The co-owner of two Latin restaurants in Hoboken, New Jersey, presents 500 recipes from the Latin world ranging from Mexico to Argentina and all the Spanish-speaking countries of the Caribbean including adobos, sofritos, empanadas, tamales, ceviches, moles and flan. (info. from HPL’s catalog) Three hardcopies available at HPL.
Latin music USA highlights the great American music created by Latinos, and celebrates the Latin rhythms at the heart of jazz, rock, country, and rhythm and blues. It’s a fresh take on American musical history, reaching across five decades to portray the rich mix of sounds created by Latinos and embraced by all. One copy available at HPL.
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September 17th was Citizenship Day, also known as Constitution Day, when we commemorate the 1787 signing of the U.S. Constitution and all that it brings to our republic.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
Nuri is a beekeeper and Afra, his wife, is an artist. Mornings, Nuri rises early to hear the call to prayer before driving to his hives in the countryside. On weekends, Afra sells her colorful landscape paintings at the open-air market. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the hills of the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo—until the unthinkable happens.
Moving, intimate, and beautifully written, The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a book for our times: a novel that at once reminds us that the most peaceful and ordinary lives can be utterly upended in unimaginable ways and brings a journey in faraway lands close to home, never to be forgotten.
**
The Far Away Brothers by Lauren Markham
Growing up in rural El Salvador in the wake of the civil war, the United States was a distant fantasy to identical twins Ernesto and Raul Flores—until, at age seventeen, a deadly threat from the region’s brutal gangs forces them to flee the only home they’ve ever known. In this urgent chronicle of contemporary immigration, journalist Lauren Markham follows the Flores twins as they make their way across the Rio Grande and the Texas desert, into the hands of immigration authorities, and from there to their estranged older brother in Oakland, CA.
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