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Poncho Sanchez: “Pure Sugar!”
The Grammy Award-winning Sanchez (on conga drums) and his band immediately enraptured the audience with a heart-stomping version of “Nightwalk.” They kept the rhythm going until the crowd, including President Núñez, could no longer resist getting up to dance to “Raise Your Hand.” Sanchez and his band have more than 22 recordings, albums that pay homage to Cuban percussion legends, American soul music, rhythm and blues, and salsa classics.
Irish Music and Dance Concert
The Eastern community was also treated to a pre-St. Patrick’s Day celebration of Irish music and dance on Feb. 28 in the Betty R. Tipton Room. Eastern’s own Dora Hast (interim director of CEE) and dancers Sarah Hobson and Leah Hanrahan were joined by renowned Irish musicians PV O’Donnell on fiddle, vocalist and guitarist Stan Scott, and button accordion player John Tabb for an evening of toe-tapping tunes, songs, and step dances from the Emerald Isle. Hobson also danced with her brother, Tim, a champion dancer who is still in high school. The enthusiastic audience was composed of students, faculty, staff, and Irish music lovers from the local community.
In honor of Women’s History Month, the Women’s Center will present numerous events to the campus community in March and April. The public is invited and admission is free.
On Mondays from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. throughout the month, movies and award-winning documentaries examining the role of women in the film industry are being shown in the Student Center Theatre. On March 3, the documentary “Women Behind the Camera” was shown.
The monthlong programming also includes “Identity Series,” an oral history series of diverse women from the campus and the community who share their stories, interests, and struggles to overcome obstacles to succeed.
On March 4, Theatre Professor Ellen Brodie was the guest speaker at “Identity Series.”
The center also supported the Department of Performing Arts presentation of “Body and Sold” March 7 – 9 in the Student Center Theatre. The performance, sponsored by the Soroptimists of Willimantic, raised awareness of the exploitation and trafficking of children (under age 16) in contemporary American society. The play, directed by Jenna Podeswa and performed by 14 Eastern students, featured the real-life experiences of exploited children who were interviewed in cities such as Boston and Hartford. At left, Brad Conners and Joey Dias, both Performing Arts/Theatre majors, perform. Kaitlyn Kociela, also a performing arts senior, was costume manager.
On March 10, “Selena,” a film about the late Latin American singer, was shown.
At 7 p.m. on March 12 in the Student Center Theatre, Kirsten Holmstedt will discuss her book, “Band of Sisters: Women in Combat in Iraq.” On March 24 “A Mighty Heart,” a film based on Marianne Pearl’s account of the kidnapping and execution of her husband (journalist Daniel Pearl), will be shown.
On March 25 from 4 to 6 p.m., Dora Hast, assistant professor of performing arts at Eastern, will be the speaker at “Identity Series.”
From 9 to 10 a.m. March 26, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to join author Kim Addonizio for breakfast in Room 116 of the Student Center.
On March 27 from 6 to 7 p.m., there will be a candlelight vigil and a march protesting violent acts against women. The march will begin at the Foster Clock Tower and end at Mead Commons.
On March 31, the center will present the movie “Born in the Brothel,” an Oscar-winning documentary of the lives of children whose mothers are prostitutes. The documentary was filmed by the children to give a unique understanding of the world as they see it.
On April 8 from 4 to 6 p.m., Nancy DeCrescenzo, acting director of career services, will be the speaker at “Identity Series.”
On April 22 from 6 to 8 p.m., Art Professor Imna Arroyo will speak at “Identity Series.”
From April 29 through May 2, a series called “One-Hit-Wonders” will be shown. These are one-day seminars for women on a variety of subjects, including how to change a tire and the oil on a car, simple carpentry, and how to write a résumé. Eastern Police Department Officer Kevin Snow will also present a demonstration on self-defense.
Eastern Presents Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Service Awards
On Feb. 27, a student, a psychology professor, and a New Haven community worker were honored at Eastern’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Service Awards Reception, held in the Paul E. Johnson, Sr. Community Conference Room in the J. Eugene Smith Library.
In her introduction, Eastern President Elsa M. Núñez noted that King believed in “Humankind — his message was not limited to African-Americans or other people of color. He believed in a world where all of us embrace our differences while seeking a shared, common ground . . . We are pleased that Eastern is a beacon for those who want to use the power of education to achieve their aspirations.”
Student awardee Michael McKenzie, a senior from Windsor, is majoring in communication. McKenzie is the president and four-year member of the M.A.L.E.S. (Men Achieving Leadership Excellence and Success) student club. He is also a member of Eastern’s Campus Activity Board, a sports announcer on Eastern’s News 22 newscast, and has served as a student orientation counselor at the University. He also is a member of the CBS Radio promotions team and is in training for the Hartford Wolfpack’s Department of Sales and Marketing.
Margaret Letterman, associate professor of psychology at Eastern, received the faculty/staff award. Over the past several years she has organized Thursday night dinners regularly attended by the Eastern community. “At the Thursday night dinners, students (and occasionally members of the faculty and staff) are using a hot meal and the warmth of companionship to bridge cultural barriers and forge unexpected friendships,” wrote Edward Osborn, Eastern’s director of university relations, in nominating Letterman. David Stoloff, professor and chair of the Department of Education, agreed. “She is a caring teacher who is concerned for the success of every student she meets, whether in her classes or on campus. Margaret manifests the spirit of Dr. King all year long and is highly deserving of this recognition.”
The community member award was presented to New Haven resident Elsie Cofield, who taught school for 31 years in North Carolina, Virginia, and the Hamden (CT) public school systems. She also supervised student teachers at Southern Connecticut State University. Since retiring 20 years ago, Cofield has worked with New Haven residents who are HIV positive or suffering from AIDS.
Cofield originally began her work inside a room in the Immanuel Baptist Church in New Haven. Today, she works out of a 21-room house, donated in 1996 by the State of Connecticut. At the age of 83, Cofield continues to work with the AIDS Interfaith Network, where she helps many people from diverse cultures. She has given talks at AIDS conferences in South Africa, Portland, OR, and Baltimore, MD, and has traveled to California to help other ministries care for individuals with AIDS.
“All three of these recipients, as well as your administration, have done amazing things to make a difference in the community,” said the keynote speaker, California-based educational consultant and author Darlene Willis. “If Dr. King were here, he would ask, ‘What are you doing for others? Are you part of the problem or are you offering solutions to resolve the challenges?’
“To Be Young, Gifted and Black”
Bennie McMorris, vice president of student affairs at Hampton University,
discusses what it means “To Be Young, Gifted and Black,” based on Lorraine Hansberry’s
book of the same name. The discussion was held on Feb. 26.Page 1
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