Supporting Meaningful Connections

Dear Friend, Today's world is constantly changing, as is our understanding of ourselves. As we reevaluate what is most important, we search for new ways to navigate our public and personal lives, and try to live better with less. At the Council, we believe in the power of ordinary people to do extraordinary things, to rise above difficult situations and embrace our shared humanity. We believe in the ability of the humanities to transform us—and our communities—for the better. Today, I ask you to join me by making a year-end gift to the California Council for the Humanities. We know these are uncertain times and, at the Council, we are hard at work to meet the increased demand for our support. We have streamlined our operations and focused our efforts to reach as many people as possible through our work with libraries, community organizations, and cultural centers. A few examples: Along with the Veterans Hospital Administration and other state councils, we are expanding the national award-winning program Literature and Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Healthcare to improve the quality of hospital care for our veterans. "The Democracy of Inclusion" will give a vocational program for young people and adults with developmental disabilities the opportunity to document and share stories about participation, tolerance, and inclusion. When state funding to public libraries was cut in half this year, it forced many libraries to slash hours and staff; some closed their doors. Through 2012, we will provide program support to nearly two-thirds of the library jurisdictions in California, helping them provide people, regardless of status or stature, with an ability to participate more fully in society and in the exchange of information and ideas. Today, I ask you to partner with us by making a tax-deductible gift to help our work. As an independent nonprofit organization, we do not receive state funding. Your contribution at any level is essential to bringing important programs to veterans' hospitals, libraries, schools, and community organizations in neighborhoods near you. When times are difficult, we all need the connections that humanities experiences can provide to find inspiration and hope. We foster, build, and strengthen such connections through these and many other Council programs. To continue our work in 2012, we need your financial support today. Please take a moment and send your gift of $25, $50, $75 or more now. Click HERE to donate. Thank you in advance for your generosity. With warm regards, Ralph Lewin President & CEO

Winter Happenings: CCH-Supported Projects & Events

A celebration for the Rhythms of the Refugee Cambodian Audio Project, a Council-supported California Stories project. Photo by Roland Moore

Rhythm of the Refugee Exhibit

Under the dictatorship of Pol Pot, an estimated 95% of Cambodia's musicians and artists were executed in just four years. Several of the few who survived are preserving Cambodia's traditional repertoires and teaching them to the next generation of Cambodian Americans in Oakland, many of whom are re-composing and creating new lyrics about their lives. Learn the stories of such people as master musician, teacher, and Bay Area resident Nhep Prok, 92—first as performers of traditional music before 1975; then during the genocide and Pol Pot's reign from 1975-1979; and finally as they recover, transform, and pass on traditional Cambodian music today.

Rhythm of the Refugee Exhibit
Wednesday through Saturday, 2:30-5:30 pm, now through Oct 22, 2012
Peralta House Museum of History and Community, Peralta Hacienda Historical Park
2465 34th Ave, Oakland
For directions and more information, visit www.peraltahacienda.org

Cornerstone Theater Company's Teatro Jornalero Sin Fronteras

Special Holiday Show: Una Navidad Entre Dos Mundos

This holiday season, Teatro Jornalero Sin Fronteras (Day Laborer Theater Without Borders) presents Una Navidad Entre Dos Mundos/A Christmas Between Two Worlds. This unique re-imagining of the traditional Christmas pageant explores cultural conflicts between racial and ethnic groups in the US, told with humor through the eyes of day laborers in Los Angeles.

See performances at job centers and day laborer sites throughout Los Angeles:
December 14-16 and December 19-23
8:30-10:00 am
To see the full tour schedule and locations, click HERE. All performances are free and tickets are available at the door. For more information, contact Lorena Moran at lmoran@cornerstonetheater.org.

Squeezebox Stories producer Julie Caine with accordionists.

Squeezebox Stories Airs Dec. 18

The accordion—the "ultimate people's instrument"—was one of the first global instruments. Learn the social history of the accordion and delve in the musical worlds it inhabits. Tune in to "Squeezebox Stories," hosted by Marco Werman of PRI's The World, and listen as Zydeco, Mexican Norteno, punk rock, and Arabic music intersect.

Squeezebox Stories airs next on Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 3:00 pm
KALW 91.7 FM, San Francisco
To hear stories online, visit: http://squeezeboxstories.com/

From A Fierce Green Fire. Courtesy Mark Kitchell

A Fierce Green Fire at Sundance

No other feature-length documentary has provided a historical overview of environmentalism in the US quite like A Fierce Green Fire. This Council-supported film, which synthesizes the major issues, events, and eras of the environmental movement, will screen at Sundance Film Festival. Congratulations to filmmaker Mark Kitchell and team! Check out this amazing film by attending any one of five showings:

January 23-29, 2012
Park City, Utah

Schedule and ticket info: http://filmguide.sundance.org/ Click HERE to read about the film in NRDC's OnEarth magazine. For more information, visit the film's website: www.afiercegreenfire.com.

Photo from We Were Here. Courtesy of David Weissman

We Were Here Shortlisted for Academy Award; Makes Top Ten Best of 2011 Lists

The Council-supported documentary We Were Here: Voices from the AIDS Years in San Francisco has been shortlisted for an Academy Award. The documentary also made both a New York Times and John Waters' Best Films of 2011 lists.

This moving film takes a deep and reflective look back at the impact of the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco, exploring initial reactions to the crisis and how the epidemic played a role in shaping the sociopolitical landscape of San Francisco. Congratulations to filmmaker David Weissman on this great news! The final slate of Academy Award nominations in this category will be announced in January of 2012.

For more information, visit http://wewereherefilm.com/.

Items of Interest

Call for Entries from KQED's Truly CA

Truly CA, KQED's showcase for documentaries about the Golden State, announces a call for entries for feature documentaries. Truly CA is looking for well-made films that are both thought-provoking and eye-opening—films with well-crafted stories featuring compelling characters. Entries must be about California, not just take place in California; they must also be primarily shot in California, and preferably made by California's independent, documentary filmmakers.

Deadline: Submit your feature-length documentary to Truly CA Season Eight by 5 pm on Monday, January 9, 2012. This is not a postmark date; entries must arrive at KQED by this time. Find more information and download the application at Call for Entries. The California Council for the Humanities is a proud partner of KQED.

US Holocaust Memorial Museum's Workshop for Educators

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC encourages teachers to engage their students in learning about the Holocaust and reflecting on its meaning today. The Museum offers the following program for educators:

The Western States Workshop for Educators will bring teachers from western states to the USHMM on March 1-3, 2012. Museum staff and scholars will assist participants in exploring questions or rationale, content, and methodology in teaching the Holocaust. Stipend offered.

Applications and letters of reference due no later than January 26, 2012. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, click HERE. Questions? Contact Christina E. Chavarría at CChavarria@ushmm.org.

Connect with CCH Online
Find out about upcoming events, the latest humanities-related news, grant and fellowship opportunities, great ideas, and more by connecting with us online. Visit us at www.calhum.org, subscribe to our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter @Cal_Humanities.