What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening
Sunday, April 21, 2013, 4:30-7:00pm
Location: Immigrant Movement International
Address: 108-59 Roosevelt Avenue, Queens, NY 11368
Transportation: 7 train to the 103rd and Roosevelt Avenue stop
Free & Open to All, Please RSVP at http://whatsyourstory2013.eventbrite.com

NEW YORK, NY, April 14, 2013—New York City’s 10th Annual Immigrant Heritage Week, organized by NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Immigrant Movement International and First Person American present What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening—a community event screening 9 short films that explore personal narratives from immigrants about the people who welcomed them and changed their lives forever. Immigrant Movement International, located in Queens, New York, will host What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening on Sunday, April 21, 2013 at 4:30 PM.

What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening will start at 4:30 PM with a potluck style “welcoming dinner” where attendees can meet others in the New York community and welcome each other with favorite dishes from their home country.

With the office of Immigrant Movement International serving as the family room, What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening will show the tremendous impact small acts of kindness had during several immigrants’ lives. The films were created as part of the Welcoming Stories pilot series and the Newcomers High School Welcoming Stories Workshop. What’s Your Story? 2013 Welcoming Stories Potluck and Screening will include Yasmany’s story of discovering his American “swag,” Nika’s story about overcoming the difficulties of the American classroom, and Leila’s escaping an arranged marriage to pursue her own American dream. Attendees will also see how Newcomers High School students transformed from story tellers to activists in the short film Behind the Scenes of Newcomer High School Welcoming Stories.

A local hub for the immigrant community in Queens, New York, Immigrant Movement International will become a stage for storytelling and activism. The event will be an opportunity for the New York community to come together and celebrate its diversity, but it will also give attendees the chance to learn how they can be more welcoming and promote a culture of understanding in their own neighborhoods.

Please RSVP at http://whatsyourstory2013.eventbrite.com

ABOUT FIRST PERSON AMERICAN
First Person American focuses on stories of modern immigrants in the US, and explores what it means to be American through the lens of the immigrant in an expressive, personal and narrative style. First Person American aims to change the public’s perception of immigrants and to interject a new voice through deep and poignant portraits of people who immigrated to America. The mission of First Person American is to have a transformative effect on individual immigrant and non-immigrant lives and communities. First Person American is a recipient of the 2010 Sappi Ideas That Matter Grant, the 2011 Design Ignites Change Grant, the 2012 Facing History and Ourselves Award, and the 2013 Citizens Committee of New York Grant. For more information, please visit www.firstpersonamerican.org, follow us on Twitter@FPAmerican, and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/firstpersonamerican.

ABOUT THE 10th ANNUAL IMMIGRANT HERITAGE WEEK
Immigrant Heritage Week is a citywide celebration, organized by NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, that honors the experiences and contributions of the millions of immigrants who have shaped New York City for generations. The 10th Annual Immigrant Heritage Week will be held in New York City from April 17t to April 24 2013. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/nycihw

ABOUT THE 10th ANNUAL IMMIGRANT MOVEMENT INTERNATIONAL
Tania Bruguera’s concept for Immigrant Movement International was inspired by the civil unrest in the suburbs of Paris in 2005 led by immigrants. Immigrant Movement International (IM International) launched in March 2011 in Corona, Queens, New York. Queens is a borough known for its vibrant immigrant population, with more than 45% of the population being foreign born, and with approximately 138 languages spoken. For more information, visit http://immigrant-movement.us

Limón died of cancer in 1972, but his company continued, becoming the first modern dance company to survive its founder’s death. Now led by Carla Maxwell, who worked closely with Limón before becoming artistic director in 1978, the company celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2006. The company expanded its reach during the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 1985, the Limón Institute was formed as a component of the José Limón Dance Foundation to oversee the licensing of Limón dances and to offer classes in Limón Technique. In 1994, the company established a formal presence in San Jose, California, performing annually and conducting education and outreach activities. When on tour, the company conducts programs including master classes teaching Limón style and repertory, workshops, lectures and pre and post performance talks that educate participants in Limón history and tradition. The achievements of the Limón Dance Foundation include inaugurating the U.S. State Department’s International Exchange Program with a tour to South America in 1954. The company became the first dance company to perform at Lincoln Center, in Philharmonic Hall. In 2008, the José Limón Foundation received the National Medal of Arts, and was recognized for its innovative contributions to American modern dance for over half a century.

Jose Limon Celebration Day
Monday, September 27, 2010
Experience the life of one of America’s greatest choreographers, Mexican-born José Arcadio Limón . The day includes an interactive telling of Limon’s life story developed specifically for young audiences, a repeated biographical film showing, and participating workshops that highlight his unique dance vocabulary and techniques.
www.flushingtownhall.org
Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Boulevard, 2-5 p.m., free

Reading Carlos Monsiváis in New York
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Carlos Monsiváis was one of Mexico’s most important public intellectuals. For more than 40 years, he served as an indispensable chronicler of Mexican arts, culture and politics. When he died on June 19, 2010, he left an enormous legacy as a writer, critic and patron of popular arts. This homage to Monsiváis will feature a round table discussion with Rafael Barajas “El Fisgón” (Cartoonist for La Jornada), Jean Franco (Professor Emeritus, Columbia University), Rubén Gallo (Professor, Princeton University), Carmen Boullosa (New York-based Mexican Writer). This event will be in Spanish and followed by a reception. This presentation is co-sponsored by Fordham University’s Latin American and Latino Studies Institute (LALSI).
http://www.fordham.edu
Fordham University, Lincoln Center Campus, 113 W 60th St, 7 p.m., free admission, email mahieux@fordham.edu

Tambuco Percussion Ensemble
Thursday, September 30, 2010
This avant-garde drumming group, and a three-time Grammy nominee, Tambuco is renowned for its wide-ranging repertoire and creative interpretations, spanning structuralist percussion music, drumming, and avant-garde sound interpretation. Formed in 1993 by four musicians, Tambuco has recorded and performed with the Kronos Quartet, Michael Nyman, Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México, and many others.
http://www.symphonyspace.org
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 94th, 7:30 p.m., $15-34

Hispanic Heritage Month Festival

One of the events we’re looking forward to is the corn cooking demonstration with Mexican chef and food historian Zarela Martinez. Maize, or corn, is Mexico’s lifeblood, as the country’s history and identity are entwined with it. The mainstay of the Mexican diet was, and still is, the tortilla, made from corn. The tradition continues today with little change. The kernels are cooked with lime to remove the husk and then ground on a stone slab with a grinding stone. The dough is formed into little round balls and then patted out by hand into thin round cakes or wrapped in a corn husk, the tamale, to then fill and eat. The versatility of the tortilla as a wrapper in endless. They are used for tacos and enchiladas, among native Mexicans, tortillas are commonly used as eating utensils, as a plate as in a tostada, and much more. We’re looking forward to learning (and tasting!) more this week.

Shakira
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
After a four-year absence from New York stages, superstar Shakira returns to the Big Apple with her latest hits, “She Wolf” and “Waka Waka,” and never-tiring hips.
http://www.thegarden.com/events/shakira-910.html
Madison Square Garden, 8 p.m., $10-$150

Zarela’s Mexican Corn Kitchen
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Mexican chef and food historian Zarela Martinez explores the relationship between Mexico’s indigenous cultures and corn with this lecture and cooking demonstration. A tasting of four featured dishes, catered by Zarela’s Restaurant, will follow the demonstration.
http://www.nmai.si.edu
Smithsonian National Museum, 1 Bowling Green, 6 p.m., free admission with reservation: NMAI-NYprograms@si.edu

Issac Delgado
Friday, September 24, 2010
Cuban salsa singer Issac Delgado presents his new album, “L-O-V-E,” which fuses Afro-Caribbean rhythms with elements of bolero and jazz as he re-creates of Spanish hits recorded by Nat (King) Cole in Latin America.
http://www.nysec.org
Concert Hall, New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th St., 8 p.m., $35-$55.

Ely Guerra
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Mexican alt-rock icon Ely Guerra returns to NYC with her newest album, ‘Hombre Invisible,’ she’s collaborated with 30 Seconds to Mars and La Ley, been on the cover of Time with Julieta Venegas and has become an alt-rock icon in Latin America.
http://www.lprnyc.com
Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, 7 p.m., $25

Hispanic Heritage Month was started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage week, which was approved by President Lyndon Johnson. In 1988, the week’s celebration was expanded into a month and enacted into law. The law states that September 15 was chosen as the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month because it coincided with the anniversary of independence day of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, which all declared independence in 1821.

Keep checking back with us as we will be bringing you the highlights of National Hispanic Heritage Month throughout the city. Here is some of our picks for this week:

New York Authentic Mexican Restaurant Week
Ongoing, Sept 16–29
There are way too many Mexican restaurants in New York to sample in one lifetime, so set aside this week to taste prix-fixe menus at 24 of the City’s best, including Mercadito, Toloache and Hecho en Dumbo. See the complete list of participating restaurants on the Celebrate Mexico Now site. For more info on menus (and tequila pairings), contact your restaurant of choice directly.

Hispanic Heritage Month Festival
Saturday, September 18, 2010
People Magazine en Español takes its fifth annual Hispanic Heritage Month festival indoors in Times Square. The all-day event features performances by Mexican pop singer Dulce Maria , New York Dominicana Kat DeLuna, the Mariachi Academy of New York and merengue star Sergio Vargas.
http://www.peopleenespanol.com/pespanol/festival/
1 p.m.– 9 p.m. New York Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway. Free.

Natalia Lafourcade
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Part of the next generation of Mexican female singer-songwriters, singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade started out as the lead singer of Natalia y la Fourquetina and went on to win a Latin Grammy in 2006 for their album, Casa. Come listen to her own brand of alternative rock fused with the rich and enchanting sounds of bossa nova and folk.
http://www.joespub.com/
8 p.m., Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St. $25.

Moona Luna
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Families can jam to a concert by the Spanish-speaking children’s band Moona Luna, a new bilingual musical project for children by Sandra Lilia Velázquez, front woman for local ranchera-rock band Pistolera. The bilingual group plays family-friendly songs and provides educational and catchy songs that both parents and kids will enjoy.
http://www.elmuseo.org/en/calendar/date_all_all
Noon, El Museo del Barrio, Fifth Ave. at 104th St. Free.

Emtomo-Cuisine: An Insect Pairing Dinner
Saturday, September 18, 2010
You read this right: a four-course dinner based on worms grown by artist Monica Martinez, and prepared by visual artist and chef Philip Ross. The meal is paired with Mezcal San Honesto and accompanied by salsas by La Fundidora. As part of the dinner, Martinez will discuss her Worms project, on view at Eyelevel BQE Gallery, and the producers of Mezcal San Honesto will explain their artisanal process.
RSVP: eyelevelbqe@gmail.com
6 p.m., Brooklyn Kitchen, 100 Frost St., Brooklyn. $85.

Check back next week, and follow us on Twitter, for more happenings.