Window to the World: The World Cultures Program at City College

March 14, 2016 | San Diego City College

Given the events occurring across the country and throughout the world today, the work being done by San Diego City College’s World Cultures Program has perhaps never been more important. Started in the mid-‘80s with funds from the estate of Frank Curran, former mayor of San Diego, the program’s mission is to increase the understanding, appreciation, and celebration of global human diversity on the City College campus and in the world. 

The World Cultures Program exposes students, faculty, staff, and the community to a broad array of film, drama, literature, lectures, and music representative of the rich cultural diversity found around the globe and across people, groups, beliefs, traditions, customs, and the arts. It provides a forum for a rich medley of artists, musicians, singers, dancers, actors, writers, historians, spokespersons for numerous causes, athletes and educators representing diverse cultures each fall and spring semester.

Events come in a variety of formats, including lectures, documentaries, dramatic and dance performances, large and small multimedia presentations, exhibits, concerts, and debates. Presented free to the campus community, future events include:

Marilyn Chin, poet, Hard Love Province, and winner of the 2015 Anis eld-Wolf Prize for Poetry, Tuesday, March 15, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Scottie Madden, author of Getting Back to Me, a coming out story (and producer of reality TV’s “Dude, You’re Screwed,” Thursday, March 17, 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Tom Hom, community leader, and author of Rabbit on a Bumpy Road: A Story of Courage and Endurance.  Hom was the first minority San Diego City Council member and CA State Assembly Member, and helped create the Gaslamp Quarter, Qualcomm Stadium and Petco Park, Thursday, April 21, 12:50 to 2:10 p.m.

Every year, the World Cultures Program sponsors some 30 events on campus, with an average annual attendance of more than 3,000. Co-Directors Karen Lim and Elizabeth Meehan make every effort to offer a broad spectrum of programming that adequately represents the needs and desires of the campus community. When possible, World Cultures also sponsors programs hosted by various departments to add to or illuminate the meaning of holidays, historic events, and specially designated months of the year, such as Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Cinco de Mayo, French Mardi Gras, and more.

A few of the most highly attended World Culture events included SDCC alumnus Salvador Torres, Artist. Chicano Movement Art History;  former SDCC coach Meb Keflezighi, 2014 Boston Marathon Winner: First American to win since 1983; Carlotte Walls LaNier, Little Rock Nine; Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist, with his film about illegal immigration-documented; and Rose Schindler, an 85-year old Holocaust Survivor.

Learn more about the World Cultures Program.

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