Hispanic Heritage Month Features Co-Creators, Stars of "A Day Without a Mexican"

Sergio Arau and Yareli Arizmendi To Discuss Immigration Issues in Keynote Lecture Oct. 9

The husband and wife team of Sergio Arau and Yareli Arizmendi, creators of the film "A Day Without a Mexican," will discuss immigration in the Hispanic Heritage Month keynote address at 4:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 9 in Porter Hall 100.

Immigration from Mexico into the United States, one of the hottest topics in the country, will be the subject of this year's Hispanic Heritage Month keynote lecture by the husband and wife team of Sergio Arau and Yareli Arizmendi.

Arau and Arizmendi will address immigration issues at 4:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 9 in Porter Hall 100 and also discuss their critically acclaimed film "A Day Without a Mexican," which they'll screen at 4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 8 in the Cooper Auditorium at the Tepper School. Arau, an MTV award-winning director, visual artist, musician and political cartoonist, and Arizmendi, an actress and writer, say their film "highlights the growing cultural presence and power of Latinos in the U.S. ... and dissects what it means to be Latino in post 9/11 America."

Arau received his master's degree in film studies at the National School of Film in his native Mexico City. In 2001, he won the Coral de Plata Award at the Havana Film Festival for his animated short "El Muro/The Wall." In 1983, Arau formed the musical group Botellita de Jerez, which combines humor and Mexican traditional music with the contemporary sounds of rock'n'roll. In 1998, he and his group won the MTV award for the song "Café Tacuba's Alarmal."

Arizmendi is a renowned actress and writer committed to social change. She has worked with Luis Valdez and Teatro Campesino, and developed the "Watcha! Stage Café," a social satire cabaret at the Centro Cultural de La Raza in San Diego. She earned her master's degree in 1992 and became a professor at Cal State San Marcos after completing her thesis "Whatever Happened to the Sleepy Mexican: Four Ways To Be a Contemporary Mexican Artist." She was a founding member of the theater arts component of the school's interdisciplinary arts program.

The film screening and lecture is just one of many events scheduled in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is organized by the Division of Student Affairs.

"We are very excited to have involvement across the university in developing and presenting the Hispanic Heritage Month calendar of events," said Emily Half, coordinator of Student Development and a housefellow for Boss and McGill residence halls. "Collaboration across campus has enabled us to offer a dynamic celebration of Hispanic cultures this month as well as to bring in such an important lecture."

Hispanic Heritage Month Calendar

"A Day Without a Mexican," which will be shown at 4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 8 in the Tepper School's Cooper Auditorium, highlights the growing cultural presence and power of Latinos in the U.S.

Thursday, Oct. 5: 4:30-6 p.m.
Common Ground: Crossing Cultures Reception
Connan Room, University Center
RSVP required to ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-2075
Sponsored by Office of International Education and the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs

Thursday, Oct. 5: 8 p.m.
Faculty Recital: Paisaje Hispanico!
Alberto Almarza, flute, and Walter Morales, piano
Works by Amaya, Cervantes, Meza, Stock and Piazzolla
Alumni Concert Hall, College of Fine Arts (CFA)
Sponsored by School of Music

Friday Oct. 6: 12-1:30 p.m.
Hispanic Culture Day
Free food, live band, Latin American crafts and more!
Connan Room, University Center

Friday, Oct. 6: 8 p.m.
Student Recital: Paisaje Hispanico!
Marco Sartor, guitar; Shun Chien, guitar; Jennifer Bouton, flute; Hajnal Pivnick, violin; Meghann Zervoulis, piano
Works by Piazzolla, Barrios, Crespo, Villa-Lobos
Alumni Concert Hall, CFA
Sponsored by School of Music

Sunday, Oct. 8: 4 p.m.
Film Showing: "A Day Without A Mexican"
Cooper Auditorium, Tepper School
Hosted by the Latin American Business Club

Monday, Oct. 9: 4:30-6 p.m.
University Lecture Series and Hispanic Heritage Month Keynote Lecture
Sergio Arau & Yareli Arizmendi, filmmakers, directors and stars of "A Day Without A Mexican"
Immigration Issues in the United States
Gregg Hall, Porter Hall 100
Sponsored by the Heinz School, Department of Modern Languages, CAUSE, Department of History, Vice Provost for Education, AB Political Speakers, AB Lectures, Student Affairs

Tuesday, Oct. 10: 5-6:30 p.m.
Speak Your Mind: Immigration Laws
Facilitator: Lisa Krieg, Director, Office of International Education
Connan Room, University Center
RSVP required to ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-2075

Hispanic Heritage Month is coordinated by the Division of Student Affairs. For more information contact Emily Half at ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-2075.

Bruce Gerson
September 29, 2006