Tardes en el Zócalo
September 9, 10 and 11, 2005
National-Louis University , through the Fine Arts department and the College of Arts and Sciences, is co-sponsoring the third annual Tardes en el Zócalo, a weekend of community events in the Pilsen neighborhood, with The Resurrection Project, a spectacularly successful organization that started as a joint effort of six churches in the area. Planned as a way to encourage Latino families to use the public plaza at 1818 South Paulina as a community space, the program is called "Tardes en el Zócalo" (Afternoon in the Plaza).
On Friday, September 9, the festivities begin at 6 PM with a reception and program to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of The Resurrection Project as the center of efforts to improve the quality of life for the area's residents. Entertainment will include live music and NLU-sponsored outdoor film showings, featuring a locally produced short followed by the drama, Mi Familia/My Family, a popular saga of several generations of Mexican immigrants in America (with English subtitles). At the same time, children can view El Re Leon/The Lion King indoors.
On Saturday, September 10, starting at 10 am, the plaza will be filled with tents and tables for a Health Fair (with local hospitals and health services volunteering screenings, testing for medical and dental conditions, pneumonia shots for elders, Medicare counseling, and public health information). At the same time, a Housing Fair will advise on local options and an Art Fair will display the work of resident artists, along with a special demonstration of creating a "Tree of Life" in clay conducted by Sonia Lara, an artist coming from Mexico for this event. NLU's Fine Arts department will provide art activities for children and the Department of Applied Language will publicize and gather data for its new Spanish Language degree program.
Starting at 5 PM, music and dance will take over the Zócalo, with live performances to celebrate Mexican Independence Day by Grupo Tarima, the Mexican Dance Ensemble, Sónes de Mexico, and Rico.
On Sunday, September 11, starting at 10 am, the Emaus youth festival will operate games and activities, with more live music and even dance demonstrations. At 7:30, the NLU-sponsored outdoor film showing will feature the classic Mexican comedy, El Analfabeto/The Illiterate, starring the beloved comedian Cantinflas as a working man who tries to learn how to read and write. The film is in color and has English subtitles.
The Zócalo is a public space at the heart of the community, a plaza that for this weekend becomes the center of family fun, education, and activity. It is located on 18th Street and Paulina, one block west of Ashland. The exact address is 1824 South Paulina Street.
The site is easily accessible by public transportation (the 18th Street stop on the Blue Line, or the free Chinatown/Pilsen trolley starting in the Loop).
For more information, please contact:
Robert Keser
Assistant Professor
Department of Fine Arts
National-Louis University
122 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60603
312.261.3086
Alvaro R. Obregón
The Resurrection Project
1818 S. Paulina
Chicago, IL 60608
312.666.1323 x223
