Spanish Linguist, Writer, Translator & Editor

And the winners are...

To all of the festival audience members, participating filmmakers, volunteers, sponsors, supporters and friends.

The 15th Cine Las Americas International Film Festival was a success thanks to you. Without your support, work, and attendance, Cine Las Americas would not be able to continue fulfilling its mission. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Jury and Audience Awards 

• Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature

Las malas intenciones (The Bad Intentions)

Dir. Rosario Garcia-Montero, Peru

• Special Jury Award for Individual Performance

Kisha Tikina Burgos

Under My Nails

Dir. Arí Maniel Cruz, USA/Puerto Rico

• Special Jury Award for Ensemble Performance

Andrés Almeida, Jessy Bulbo

El lenguaje de los machetes (Machete Language)

Dir. Kyzza Terrazas, Mexico

• Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature

El árbol de las fresas (The Strawberry Tree)

Dir. Simone Rapisarda Casanova, Canada/Cuba

• Special Jury Mention for Documentary Feature

Morir de pie (Die Standing Up)

Dir. Jacaranda Correa, Mexico

• Jury Award for Best Narrative Short

Amaqqut Nunaat (The Country Of Wolves)

Dir. Neil Christopher, Canada

• Special Jury Award for Individual Performance

Jazmine Zapata Morante

Pescadora (Fisherwoman)

Dir. Daniel Enrique García, Peru/USA

• Jury Award for Best Documentary Short

Paraíso

Dir. Nadav Kurtz, USA

• Special Jury Mention for Documentary Short

pt.es

Dir. Pedro Sena Nunes, Portugal

• Texas Archive of the Moving Image Hecho En Tejas Award

Canción del cuerpo (Song Of The Body)

Dir. Andrew Segovia, Gabriela Alcalá, USA

• Hecho en Tejas Honorable Mention

All She Can

Dir. Amy Wendel, USA

• Audience Award for Narrative Feature

Las malas intenciones (The Bad Intentions)

Dir. Rosario Garcia-Montero, Peru

• Audience Award for Documentary Feature

La maleta mexicana (The Mexican Suitcase)

Dir. Trisha Ziff, Mexico/USA

• Emergencia Youth Film Competition Audience Award

Piolas, Paúl

Dir. Adrián Macías, La Poderosa Media Project, Ecuador

Photo by MS

The US is a culturally diverse nation. Nowhere is this more clearly reflected than in workplaces and learning environments. Cultural diversity adds value to learning environments and enhances the school experience for students. Population experts have pointed to the need for students to embrace cultural diversity as this facilitates positive learning outcomes. Embracing different cultures involves learning how to accept and interact with others in an ethnically diverse environment. The increasingly multiethnic composition in schools presents teachers with a major professional challenge.

For students enrolled in various learning programs, academic success now involves learning how to cope with each other. For teachers, effective instructional strategies must be culturally responsive for all students. It is vital that one group of students does not feel privileged over other groups. Below are some ways in which teachers can build cultural awareness and sensitivity among students.

Emphasizing Mutual Respect

Teachers must play a lead role in establishing ground rules for students in classrooms, with regards to cultural awareness and sensitivity. They should also encourage students to participate in establishing these rules, to promote individual responsibility in promoting cultural tolerance. Teachers must make it very clear that there is no room for disrespect of different cultures in the classroom. This helps to promote respect for diversity in learning environments.

Fostering Emotional Safety

If students are to be active participants in classroom activities, emotional safety is crucial. Teachers must encourage students to respect each other’s opinion and show sensitivity for different cultures represented in the classroom. Once students understand the need to be respectful to each other, it fosters a feeling of emotional safety, which facilitates positive learning outcomes for all.

Multicultural Education Activities

By including more multicultural activities in learning activities, teachers can encourage students to embrace diversity. When students are able to identify their culture and recognize other cultural groups in the classroom, they begin to think more critically about the need for cultural tolerance. Multicultural activities also allow students to play a more active role in the learning process. Teachers need to continually encourage the active participation of all students during discussions.

Structured Classroom Activities

When teachers employ structured instructional techniques, it helps to promote cultural awareness amongst students. For teachers, this entails acknowledging the diverse learning groups in the classroom and devising activities that require the contribution of each student. This is an excellent way of promoting the students’ awareness of diversity in the classroom. By being active participants in various learning groups, students begin to appreciate that each member in a group can engage positively in the learning process, regardless of ethnicity.

Teaching Diversity

When training for the field, teachers must meet various requirements. In California, one of the training requirements involves earning a single or multiple subject teaching credential, depending on the level of schooling. Along with other requirements, a subject teaching credential qualifies you for the California teaching credential. Although teachers take courses that prepare them to teach ethnically diverse student bodies, the majority of teachers report challenges when teaching in the classroom. Teaching tolerance is a vital principle in fostering cultural diversity in schools. This necessitates having an open mind to new ways, beliefs and thoughts.

In the multicultural classroom, teachers must shed old practices, modify their outlook and change traditions. Teaching diversity also entails asking open-ended questions. Rather than present questions to students which compels them to respond in terms of just one cultural group, teachers need to be more inclusive in asking questions. This works more effectively in subjects such as history and geography, which allow for a focus on various cultural groups. When teachers ask open-ended questions, it also encourages all the students to participate in the learning process as each student feels that they can identify with the subject matter. By embracing these principles, teachers can play a crucial role in creating a climate of diversity and fostering cultural awareness in schools.

Sources:

Diversity Activities. (2012) McKay School of Education.

Fostering Cultural Diversity in Your School. (2012) About.com

How important is cultural diversity at your school? (2012) Great Schools.

Blog Services, Inc.

FOX Deportes

FOX Deportes Airing the 2012 UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals LIVE

WHAT: FOX Deportes is proud to bring soccer aficionados one of the most popular sport events worldwide–the UEFA Champions League semifinals. The semifinals will air exclusively LIVE in Spanish on FOX Deportes starting on April 24th at 2:00pm EST with Barcelona vs. Chelsea in Spain. This match will be followed by the Real Madrid vs. FC Bayern München match on April 25th at 2:00pm EST.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 24 at 2:00pm EST: Barcelona vs. Chelsea – LIVE ON FOX Deportes

Wednesday, April 25 at 2:00pm EST: Real Madrid vs. FC Bayern München – LIVE ON FOX Deportes

WHAT ELSE:

• Barcelona and Real Madrid are down by one goal and will fight for a ticket to the Championship
• The 2012 UEFA Champions League Final will be held on Saturday, May 19th in Munich, Germany at 1:00pm EST Pre-Game, kicking off at 2:00pm EST

Electus & Latin WE

Electus Announces Initial Programming & Talent Line-Up for YouTube™ Channel “NuevOn” Set to Debut on April 16th

Programming Will Feature A-List Latino Celebrities Including Sofia Vergara, Wilmer Valderrama, Felipe Viel and Alejandro Chaban

NEW YORK –April 16, 2012 – Ben Silverman’s multimedia studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), today announced the initial programming and talent line-up for its new Hispanic celebrity-oriented, pop culture channel, NuevOn (Spanish for ‘New On’), launching on April 16^th on YouTube™.

NuevOn, which will feature high-impact, buzz-worthy programming almost entirely in Spanish, was conceptualized by Electus in partnership with Luis Balaguer, CEO of Latin World Entertainment, and a seasoned team with over twenty years of expertise in creating and marketing hits, including Melissa Escobar, a veteran producer and programming executive with over a decade of experience at Univision where she began her career.

The YouTube channel will feature a variety of entertaining reality, drama and comedy formats that are specifically tailored to young, multi-cultural Latinos. While primarily devoted to this unique demographic, taking into consideration the universal themes, humor and love Hispanics have for their own celebrities, family, drama and aspirational dreams, NuevOn’s shows will also generate global news and trends that transcend markets. Additional programming and talent will be announced in the weeks to come.