Democrats Abroad film
Join Democrats Abroad for a free showing online of “Capturing the Flag,” an award-winning documentary about voter suppression in North Carolina.
The film will be shown on Friday, August 29, from 1-3 p.m., and will be followed by a Q&A session. To RSVP, go to democratsabroad.org/americas_events.
Open Circle
Open Circle has suspended its weekly program on the patio at Lake Chapala Society. Each week it highlights a different video of a past presentation. This week, Música para Crecer presents the San Juan Children’s Orchestra and Chorus’ Annual Holiday Concert.
The concert will be available for viewing Sunday, August 30, 10:30 a.m. at opencircleajijic.org.
Five years ago a few community leaders in San Juan Cosalá began a music program intended to give disadvantaged, at-risk children a sure and safe path to young adulthood. The students studied hard, stayed off the streets, and devoted themselves to what they most loved — music. They have traveled to music festivals and camps, encountered children of other cultures, lived with them, and made music with them. The program has transformed not only individual lives but also the village itself. The San Juan Children’s Orchestra and Chorus (Música Para Crecer) now enriches the lives of 80 children from 5 to 18 years of age.
Their Open Circle concert features traditional Mexican, pop, classical, and Latin American music, with Daniel Medeles conducting.
As a nonprofit civic organization, Música Para Crecer is supported solely by governmental grants and private donations. Government support for the arts has been drastically reduced under the current administration, and the orchestra is looking for generous patrons and the backing of civic organizations and businesses to help guarantee their future.
U.S. Voter Assistance
The next Democrats Abroad-Mexico live registration and absentee ballot tutorial via Zoom will be held Saturday, August 29, 1 to 3 p.m. RSVP to DemocratsAbroad.org/mx.
Live U.S. voter assistance via Zoom (a free video conferencing app) will be offered by VoteFromAbroad.org Sunday, August 30. On the homepage of DemocratsAbroad.org, click on the “Drop By For Live Voter Help” image for more information (DemocratsAbroad.org/zoom_voter_assistance).
Jaltepec Hospitality School
Centro Educativo Jaltepec, located in the municipality of Jocotepec, is celebrating the graduation of ten young women from its two-year hotel and hospitality management academic program. The students have been receiving online instruction since March and have now completed their degrees.
Their instructors have been trained by the BECAR IAP Foundation to use the most advanced technology available, while the students’ parents are helping provide a good study environment.
While Jaltepec’s preparatoria (high school) students have encountered some delays due to problems with exams, the 2019-2020 class will complete their studies in October, when they will also begin their hotel and hospitality management studies.
For more information on this Lakeside school and how you can help these young women in their careers, email Linda Buckthorp at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Legal issues
María de las Nieves and Diego Solbes offer a class on wills Fridays, September 4 and 11, noon to 1 p.m. on Zoom. This course will help you prepare a will in time to take advantage of September, the “Month of the Will,” when two state institutions help bring a much lower price for wills and testaments. Register on the LCS website.
Art for kids
Kids and young people 6 to 21 yers old can sign up for online classes in music, dance, theater and the fine arts, sponsored by the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes via the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo in Chapala. Classes begin September 8. Information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..