Acclaimed Author and Educator Highlights National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration At UC

Note: Look for the archived Webcast at: 

www.uc.edu/ucvision/event.aspx?eventid=111

Francisco Jimenez was 14 years old and pursuing his dream of an education when immigration officials entered his California classroom and took him into custody. Deported to Mexico, his family never gave up on building a life in the United States.

Jimenez’s experience as a child migrant worker struggling to learn English in the U.S. is the inspiration for his books that are breaking down cultural barriers. The nationally honored writer and educator will speak at the University of Cincinnati at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 11, in the Tangeman University Center Theater. His lecture will be followed by a book signing at 12:15 p.m. in the UC Bookstore, which is also located in Tangeman University Center. The event is free and open to the public as part of UC’s celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Jimenez is the Fay Boyle Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures and director of the Ethnic Studies Program at Santa Clara University. He was selected Outstanding U.S. Professor of the Year in 2002 by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Jimenez has been honored twice with the Americas Award from the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs – co-sponsored by the Library of Congress – for his books, The Circuit (awarded in 1997) and Breaking Through (awarded in 2001). Both books received the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, as well as the Smithsonian Notable Book for Children, and that’s just a mention of a few of their many awards. His books, The Christmas Gift and La Mariposa have also received national honors. All of those books will be available for sale in the UC Bookstore starting in early August.

UC’s celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month aims to create a greater awareness and understanding of the region’s growing and diverse Latino community. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the nation’s Hispanic population increased from 35.3 million in 2000 to 38.8 million in 2002. Census figures from 2000 first showed Hispanics as the nation’s largest minority.