1440 Proud to Host Senderos' Mexican Fiesta

A cornerstone to 1440's mission is a commitment to building relationships. We are pleased to be in collaborative partnership with Senderos, founded in 2001 as an after-school dance club of Santa Cruz City Schools, to provide positive, safe, and culturally relevant activities for immigrant youth and families. It was our distinct pleasure to host Senderos' Mexican Fiesta at 1440, a lead-up to their annual Vive Oaxaca Guelaguetza cultural festival. A traditional celebration from Oaxaca, Mexico, Guelaguetza means "to share," and indeed did we appreciate all the enriching traditions from the state of Oaxaca shared that day. Vibrant language, delicious food, inspiring music, and traditional dance brought our serene campus to colorful life. In the spirit of sharing, here are some of our favorite images from the festivities. Professor Camilo Jiménez Fernández of Centro de Integracíon Social No. 8 (CIS), a public boarding school located in the small town of Zoogocho in the Sierra Norte mountains of Oaxaca. CIS educates orphans and low-income children from farming villages and is renowned for its banda de viento (wind band) music program, directed by Professor Fernández. CIS promotes and preserves Oaxacan culture by teaching children and youth academics, rituals, dance, music, cooking, painting, and five indigenous languages. Senderos and CIS are united in their commitment to value and share the cultural heritage of Oaxaca and other regions of Mexico.   Lizbeth Arely Olazo Hernandez, a Cabrillo College student and Senderos dancer, as the Diosa Centeotl (Corn Goddess who "reigns" over the Guelaguetza festival) introducing the dance group.   Children from Senderos' Centeotl Danza y Baile Infantil group performing a dance from Ejutla de Crespo, located in the central valleys of Oaxaca. Ejutla is a word from the indigenous Nahuatl language, exotl and tla, meaning "place of abundant green beans."   Dancers from Los Diablos Del Llano De Tecomates from Watsonville.