CCATE
¡Viva la comunidad!

June 26, 2018. Norristown PA.
CURAMRICAS Global a non – profit base in North Carolina that has been dedicated to promote health in developing countries during the last 40 years was in CCATE sharing their methodology an experience in Bolivia, Guatemala, Haití, Kenya, Liberia and Sierra Leona where they have had extraordinary results reducing child and maternity mortality.

About fifteen CCATE parents and adults in two days training reflected on the health challenges of the Latinx and immigrant community of Norristown, and learn about the methodology to work data that can guide further decisions for potential programs.

Ms. Barbara Muffoletto who is manager at CURAMERICAS designed a workshop base in previous conversations that CCATE had in past weeks preparing for the workshop sessions. The parents were very active sharing ideas, making questions and reflecting in how will look like a program of health at CCATE base in CURAMERICAS methodology.

In CCATE we know that this is only the beginning of a long relationship and projects towards to transform the health challenges of the Latinx community of Norristown and Montgomery County.

June 23, 2018. New York.

By Obed Arango

It was the turn of New York City. Since the year 2016 CCATE has its annual college road trip for the High School students that during the year committed to volunteer  helping younger students in the after school program and that committed to accelerate in their education participating in the High School program of CCATE. The CCATE High School group is leaded by CCATE Director of Educational Programs and Research Dr. Holly Link. Dr. Link made contacts, work the schedule, budget the trip, and work with the students questions and things to learn. Dr. Link included also a visit to the Museum of Modern Art, Brooklyn and Central Park. We had a memorable trip that mark the life of our students. On the trip we have also the companionship of parents and mentors, Salvador González, Diana Lugo, and Christy Arango who help the students at every moment and made possible that the trip was safe at all time.

In 2016 CCATE visited The University of New Haven  and Yale University. In 2017  CCATE visited Cornell University and Ithaca College. This year CCATE decided to visit  the Big Apple, the City of New York and see three different college systems. As in previous years we visit and Ivy League Columbia University and a private university New York University (NYU), however this time also we visit one of the most important and largest public college systems in the world as is the City University of New York, (CUNY).

The visit to Columbia University one of the best universities in the world was an inspiring visit because we were received by two young brilliant and amazing students Miguel and Kim, both of them from immigrant families, however their desire to grow and to focus in their studies allow them to make every little opportunity to work. Today they are young leaders, excellent students and an example of the talent in the immigrant community, both of them talk to CCATe students, inspire them and encouraged them to “ponerse las pilas” and work hard in their SAT, to serve the community and to fulfill their dreams.

On Friday we visited New York University and we were received there by two master degree students Jasmine and Diana; Diana Stilley who has been instructor and volunteer of CCATE, and last year started her master degree in Latin American and Caribean studies planned the visit with Dr. Holly Link. NYU, is a private university with a creative system that allow the student to design their own majors which attracted CCATE students.

CUNY, one of the largest public universities in the World, CCATE was received by Dr. Tatyana Kleyn who is giving us a personal tour with DACA students. CCATE students felt rapidly identified with them as we share similar stories and situation in our families. CUNY prepared a session, we watch a movie about DACA students called “Still Undocumented” and the Filmmaking class of CCATE also shared “Estudiantes hoy, líderes mañana”. It was a morning of conversation and learning how other Latinx and immigrant students have navigated the system to reach college education and pursue graduate studies.

CCATE pursues the formation of young leaders to reach their college dreams and to growth in the love to serve the community. Viva la comunidad!

 

January 18, 2018. Norristown, PA.

CCATE board of directors elected a new chair, vice chair and three new board members that join to the existing board. During the last four years Dr. Roberto Rodríguez and Rev. Florence Li, served as Chair and Vice Chair for CCATE. During Rodríguez – Li tenure, CCATE expanded from 3 programs (After school, art and English) to 32 weekly courses in seven areas including art, education, environmental care, music, health and nutrition, media and technology and languages and literacy.

Rev. Angel Pagan who served for twenty years as an accountant for corporations and non – profit organizations, most recently in the American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS) and currently is senior pastor of the Lower Merion Baptist Church, PA., accepted the position with joy and with the vision to expand CCATE financial capacity, and find a permanent home where CCATE can project for the next 20 years and bring partners. Rev. Pagan is from a Puerto Rican background and growth in the Bronx, New York and has an M.Div degree from Eastern University.

Dr. Cristina Soriano, who is Director of Latin American and Latinx Studies at Villanova University accepted also with joy the position as Vice-Chair, her knowledge about Latin America and Latino society in the United States brings direction on this time when the  immigrant and Latino community are confronting anti-immigrant policies and a rare environment. Dra. Soriano is from Caracas, Venezuela and obtained her Ph.D from New York University in Latin American Studies.

In CCATE we consider that the new leaders will empower the community of CCATE to continue the journey of social impact and social transformation of Norristown and Montgomery County.

Additional to the election of the new Chair and Vice Chair, Dra. Tulia Falleti, who is native from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Dra. Cathy Bartch Director and Associate Director respectively of the Latin American and Latinx Studies of the University of Pennsylvania (LALS – UPENN) joined as voting members enriching the partnership between CCATE and the University of Pennsylvania creating new opportunities to CCATE – High School Students as the recent acceptance that four students of CCATE will start to take classes at Penn under the OAS model for the Fall semester 2018.

Ms. Marian Vidaurri, who is a Mexican diplomat and currently serves as Advisor for the General Secretary of the Organization of American States Luis Almagro, joined also to the board. Vidaurri who has studied in Cornell University, Oxford University and the University of Pennsylvania is an example of Mexican diplomacy and her words encouraging communities to organize to create sustainable democracy inspired the Mural “Voices of Peace and Social Transformation” that was painted by 52 CCATE – Students and the Norristown Area High School. Marian brings to CCATE an international vision, an international exposure and opportunities to our students such as the model OAS in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania. Marian constantly encourages the CCATE community to continue being roots that transform the world.

CCATE Board meets every two months and have been key to the vision, growth and development of CCATE.

 

 

CCATE – 21st CCLC Mural “Voices of Peace and Social Transfornation” will be presented on Friday June 1st at 2:30 pm at the Norristown Area High School.

More than 45 students have participated during the year painting the mural with the direction of Obed Arango and Caitlin Brady.

With the attendance of 200 people the Noche de Arte de CCATE was a community gathering to celebrate the six anniversary of the Center and the achievements of the community during 2017. The Noche de Arte, also it’s CCATE’s fundraising annual event reaching the goal of minimum $7,000.00

As every year CCATE invites a keynote speaker that can inspire the community, this year Marian Vidaurri who is Section Chief Political Analysis for the Office of the General Secretary of the Organization of American States delivered a beautiful message in which she compared CCATE with the roots of a tree remembering the words of Leon Tolstoi. Vidaurri emphasized that social transformation takes the effort of community organizing and CCATE is a example of it, that in a short time has made a strong impact in the community of Norristown, Montgomery County and Philadelphia area.

Art made by each class of CCATE including young students, adolescents and adults were on sale. CCATE’s friends, photographers Karuna Krishna and Donald Kautz donated pieces of their collection to sale or to put on auction.

As has been a tradition, CCATE’s Noche de Arte is possible by the commitment and participation of parents who work under committees, the Food committee leaded by  Obed Nogueda a long time meber of CCATE made as every year a delicious menu. The team of Obed is Laura Sánchez, Mariana Castro, Roberto Rodríguez, Horacio de la Luz, Caitlin Brady, Tessi Ruiz and Norma Romero, work very hard for making enchiladas, pasta, cakes, fruit salad and appetizers.

The room committee as every year had the participation of children, youth and adults who repainted the walls, set the galleries, curated the space and set the program. Diana Lugo in collaboration with Lupita Castillo, Lourdes Flores, Gary Gomez, Salvador Gonzalez, Holly Link, Irma Martinez, Jenny Bonilla, Susana Gilabert and the adult classes work accommodating the space, cleaning, and preparing for the event.

During the celebration the cello class of Ashley Chen Kim performed three pieces making its first performance since the formation of the class in September of 2017, the public was amazed in how much the class has advanced in short time. The guitar class of Juan Carlos Orozco made a memorable performance with 13 students from ages 7 to 15 year old.

It was a night of celebration where officials of the town, friends and partners from the University of Pennsylvania, Villanova University, Lower Merion Baptist Church, Nuix, Pfizer, and Merck were present supporting CCATE.

It was a community celebration and a celebration of the community! Viva la comunidad!