Miracle Theatre Group, Portland’s premier Latino arts and culture organization, is offering summer arts and culture experiences in Spanish for children, youth and adults at El Centro Milagro, 525 S.E. Stark St.

¡Cuentos y Teatro is a summer Spanish-immersion theatre camp for children 8 to 12 years old, incorporating mask-making and theatrical movement for a fun Latin American folktale adventure led by native Ecuadorian theatre artist & educator Omar Vargas.

Also offered is ¡Danza Hip-Hop is a bilingual Hip-Hop Dance Class for teenagers, combining street dancing with Latin footwork styles and techniques.

¡Taller de Actuación is a fundamentals of acting workshop in Spanish for adults that focuses on scene work and character development.

For more information or to register, call 503-236-7253 or visit milagro.org.

The Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs has two new members: Judith Parker, a Portland attorney specializing in professional liability defense and labor and employment law; and John Harold, the Benton County District Attorney.

Parker is a member of the Oregon Hispanic Bar Association. She served as the organization’s secretary in 2008 and president in 2009, and is a member of its board of directors. Her professional memberships also include the Oregon State Bar and the Hispanic National Bar Association.

Haroldson, the son of a Scandinavian father and a Mexican mother, was raised both in the Pacific Northwest and in Monterrey, Mexico, where he developed a rich bilingual and bicultural perspective. He holds the honor of serving as Oregon’s first Mexican-American District Attorney in Benton County.

“I am very honored to welcome Judith and John as our new commissioners. Their understanding of the issues facing Latinos in Oregon is very important to enhance the voices of Latinos in Oregon, said Jose Ibarra, Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs chair.

Broadens view of third world hardships

University of Portland students Brittany Cannon (left) and Kenzie Larson lay bricks for a new school in a Nicaraguan community of coffee plantation workers.

University of Portland students who recently participated in a service and education trip to Nicaragua came home with a wide variety of responses to their experience.

But most agreed that the Nicaragua Immersion trip, sponsored by the Moreau Center for Service and Leadership, broadened their view of the world and gave them insights into the hardships of those living in third world countries.

“I have a whole new perspective on community,” said junior Kelsey Reavis of the Nicaraguans she met on the trip. “They continue to fight through their struggles. They have a spirit and appreciation for life.”

Senior Colin Dorwart added, “It gave me a greater appreciation of living simply and of what I’ve been given in life. It makes me want to be more aware of the world.”

A total of 18 students and two University staff members, including Michelle Chang of the Moreau Center, participated in the service-learning trip. They traveled to Nicaragua for nearly three weeks in May, working with the organizations Witness for Peace and Seeds of Learning. The students also attended presentations on social justice issues such as fair trade, foreign policy and human rights.

The experience allowed the students to immerse themselves in Nicaraguan life and culture and interact with Nicaraguan people through home stays and community projects. Their first week was spent in the capital city of Managua in western Nicaragua. During the second week, the students stayed in San Ramon, a city of about 5,000, and worked on a coffee plantation in Santa Isabela.

Their direct service project included laying bricks for a new elementary school in a small community of coffee plantation workers.

The Moreau Center for Service and Leadership helps students develop skills, knowledge and habits to improve the world through hope, compassion and solidarity. Rooted in Catholic social teaching, it provides direct service opportunities, leadership development, reflection and social analysis.

Several of the students who traveled to Nicaragua noted that the trip was a good fit with their majors and studies.

Junior Theresa Cutter, for example, is studying Spanish and psychology. Senior Linnea Heu is majoring in environmental science. Dorwart is studying social justice, and sophomore Katya Ludwig is majoring in social work and psychology.
After returning to campus, Heu talked about her new appreciation for global issues and how our country affects others.

“I have a better understanding of what a third world country is like and how my actions may affect others throughout the world,” she said. “They are so organized and so well-informed. They are fighting for things we take for granted, like food and water.”

Emily Sitton, a recent graduate and one of two student coordinators, said the trip seemed to accomplish many of its goals.

“Overall, the immersion is for the students to experience a new way of life, to be in solidarity with the Nicaraguans and to connect on a person-to-person level.”