Books in the Barrio, in collaboration with the St.Philip’s College Mexican American Studies Program, hosted over 60 preschool students from the St. Philip’s College Child Development Center and Bowden Elementary on April 29th to commemorate Día del Niño (Children’s Day).
Our celebration included a reading by Dr. Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, author of the children’s book Love and Monsters in Sofía’s Life, and a visual art activity led by internationally renowned indigenous artist, Veronica Castillo. The event, which sought to celebrate Mexican American heritage and highlight the importance of family, community, and nature, was both a cultural and artistic immersive experience for the pre-schoolers. The children enjoyed listening to the author’s reading, “painting” their visual masterpiece, and interacting with our invited artist, teachers, faculty, and staff. At the end of the event, each child was presented with a copy of the children’s book, a Books in the Barrio bookmark, a Future Tiger t-shirt, and an SPC bag full of surprises. As the children were leaving, we received an outpouring of smiles, high-fives, and wishes for future encounters. The event was a huge success. It left all of us inspired, in awe of the children’s creativity and their willingness to welcome us into their world, and we look forward to celebrating them again next year.
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