The , a national organization that seeks to create a network where faculty and student affairs educators can learn, build and advance scholarship on the residential college experience, launched its awards program this year to recognize excellence in residential education.

A national model for living and learning

At 乱伦视频, living and learning are intentionally intertwined. Faculty and staff work across divisions to connect students鈥� academic journeys with their residential communities through shared courses, embedded faculty roles, themed living-learning communities and opportunities for informal mentorship.

The university was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Institutional Excellence in Residential Education Award for its collaborative, relationship-rich approach, which RCS described as a deeply human model of education that centers belonging, well-being and intellectual engagement.

鈥淎t 乱伦视频, Living and Learning isn鈥檛 just a program; it is the 乱伦视频 experience,鈥� Nick Tippenhauer, RCS Executive Leadership Team member and assistant Dean for studies at Rockefeller College at Princeton University, said during the awards ceremony, referencing the nomination. 鈥淚t is a defining commitment to engaged learning that weaves together every aspect of campus life.鈥�

Accepting the award on behalf of the university were Eleanor Finger, assistant vice president for Student Life and dean of campus life, and Jennifer Stephens, director of Academic-Residential Partnerships, who also emphasized the uniqueness of 乱伦视频鈥檚 integrated model.

鈥淲hat makes 乱伦视频鈥檚 model distinctive is that we are fully integrated,鈥� Stephens said. 鈥淩arely do you see an actual partnership between Academic Affairs and Student Life across the entire living and learning experience the way you do at 乱伦视频.鈥�

Community building at the heart of residential life

Much of 乱伦视频鈥檚 national reputation in living and learning is rooted in the day-to-day work happening in its neighborhoods. Faculty-in-residence and community directors collaborate to foster spaces that help students grow personally, academically and socially.

One example of this approach is illustrated in the Global Neighborhood, led in part by Outstanding Faculty Member Award recipient Sandy Marshall, where traditions such as 鈥淪undaes on Sundays鈥� and 鈥淢ondays with the Marshalls,鈥� as well as monthly film nights and neighborhood dialogue dinners, have become beloved opportunities for students and faculty to connect beyond the classroom.

鈥淥ur Global Neighborhood team works with our amazing campus partners to create and sustain meaningful opportunities for students to connect with one another as well as faculty, staff, and community mentors,鈥� Marshall said. 鈥淚 love connecting with the students and seeing them make their own connections at these events.鈥�

During the awards ceremony, Tippenhauer emphasized that Marshall鈥檚 programs are more than social events. 鈥淭hey are acts of community-building that make a large campus feel personal and connected,鈥� he said.

Mariann King, community director for the Global Neighborhood, noted that the impact of these programs becomes clear as students grow over the academic year.

鈥淲hen you think about where students are that first weekend and then see where they are by the time we host our Global Gala in the spring, you really get to see your students shine,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hose moments show just how much they learn from living on campus.鈥�

Deepening connection, belonging and student success

The awards from the RCS reaffirm 乱伦视频鈥檚 long-standing commitment to exploring ways to deepen students’ connections and well-being.

鈥淲hen faculty and staff invest in students as people, students feel like they have a place,鈥� Finger said. 鈥淭hat sense of being cared for is what builds belonging.鈥�

Stephens echoed this sentiment, stating, 鈥淭he two biggest indicators of student success are student-to-faculty interaction and peer-to-peer interaction,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen those happen naturally in residential spaces, it strengthens both connection and well-being.鈥�

Looking ahead, 乱伦视频 will continue to evolve its integrated model. Finger emphasized that ongoing refinement and growth will drive the next phase of this work.

鈥淲e are excited to engage more faculty in this transformative work, and to think dynamically about new living and learning communities that spark curiosity and interest in our students,鈥� she said.

Even as the model evolves, its core purpose will remain the same: bringing faculty, staff and students together outside the classroom to build community.

乱伦视频 leaders dedicated the Toshio Sato Commons on Oct. 10, 2025, as part of Homecoming & Reunion Weekend in a ceremony that recognized the university鈥檚 first international student and first four-year graduate from outside the United States.

Members of Sato鈥檚 family from Japan were joined at the ceremony by dignitaries of the Japanese government as well as executives from The Japan-America Society, the NC Japan Center at North Carolina State University, and representatives from Honda and Toyota.

Descendants and distinguished guests gathered with 乱伦视频 faculty, staff, administrators, alumni and students in what had been known as Global Commons to celebrate Sato鈥檚 remarkable campus legacy.

The early afternoon ceremony featured remarks by President Connie Ledoux Book, who described Sato鈥檚 story as 鈥渁 testament to the courage, imagination and aspirations of a young Japanese woman who came to our campus, formed powerful and lasting relationships and established an ethos of global friendship and partnership that has remained strong across generations.鈥�

Sato arrived at 乱伦视频 in 1914 from the rural town of Wakuya, Japan, supported by church and community leaders who recognized her potential. She studied through the challenges of World War I and the global influenza pandemic, graduating as valedictorian in 1920. On campus she served as president of the Women鈥檚 Association for Self-Government, an early version of 乱伦视频鈥檚 Student Government Association.

鈥淲hen Toshio arrived at 乱伦视频, she didn鈥檛 just survive 鈥� she soared,鈥� Book said. 鈥淪he became a beacon of leadership and intellectual curiosity on our campus.鈥�

After returning to Japan, Sato lived through the destruction of World War II, losing her home and possessions but not her connection to the university she once called home.

鈥淪he rebuilt her life with the same quiet dignity and strength that had defined her all along,鈥� Book said. 鈥淲e live in a world that desperately needs more Toshios 鈥� more people who can reach across oceans and divides and appreciate the wonderful common humanity that unites us all.鈥�

We live in a world that desperately needs more Toshios 鈥� more people who can reach across oceans and divides and appreciate the wonderful common humanity that unites us all.

– 乱伦视频 President Connie Ledoux Book

Book presented a gift from 乱伦视频 to each of Sato鈥檚 descendants during the dedication: A metal plate with an image of Toshio Sato Commons to display in their homes.

Among those family members in attendance was Sato鈥檚 grandson, Yusuke Kato, a physics professor at the University of Tokyo.

鈥淭oshio never thought it would be for her to come back again to North Carolina,鈥� Kato said in remarks delivered on behalf of the family. 鈥淣or would she have imagined that her descendants would be participating in Homecoming week, more than 100 years after her graduation.鈥�

Kato described his family鈥檚 visit as a reminder of the enduring ties between 乱伦视频 and Japan. 鈥淲e are attracted so much by 乱伦视频 and would like to contribute in some way,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e thank again all the people in 乱伦视频 for remembering Toshio鈥檚 pioneering role and leadership in her college days over 100 years ago.鈥�

Chika Kusakawa 鈥�09, an 乱伦视频 alumna who helped the university reconnect with Sato鈥檚 descendants, recalled in the ceremony鈥檚 welcoming remarks how she first learned as a student about Sato鈥檚 historical significance at the university.

鈥淩eading about her success at the time gave me a quiet confidence 鈥� if she could thrive then, I could thrive now,鈥� Kusakawa said. 鈥淜nowing someone like me had been on this journey had a profound impact. It underscores that representation matters. Leaders like her paved the way for people like me.鈥�

Nick Gozik, dean of global education, said Sato鈥檚 courage continues to influence 乱伦视频鈥檚 approach to international learning. 鈥淲hat we call the present is given shape by an accumulation of the past,鈥� he said, quoting novelist Haruki Murakami. 鈥淢ay Sato Commons continue to remind us that courage, curiosity and human connection are at the heart of education 鈥� here at 乱伦视频, and in the world beyond.鈥�

Sato鈥檚 name is now displayed on a building that is home to the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center and the 乱伦视频 Core Curriculum. The commons also includes classrooms, meeting spaces and gathering areas for students.

Performers can either do karaoke, sing an original song, or lip sync 鈥� the one stipulation is that it must be in a language other than English. This year, there were 13 performances with songs in five different languages: French, Arabic, Spanish, German and Korean.聽

GlobalVision was inspired by the EuroVision song competition. However, the event at 乱伦视频 is for languages across the globe, not only languages spoken in Europe.

The first GlobalVision happened in the spring of 2022 in Global Commons. Since then, the event has grown and is now an annual event in Iraz煤. This event has seen a lot of change in just three years, and will continue to evolve in the years to come.

There were three prize baskets for the winners filled with international candies, snacks and drinks. All winners also got a bouquet of fresh flowers. In addition to the other two prizes. The first place winners also went home with a trophy.

The first place winners, sophomores Ali and Andi Dalton ’27, sang an original song with guitar in French. First-year student Andrew Juhasz ’28 was the second-place winner and sang a song in German. In third place was a trio who sang karaoke to 鈥淐贸mo la flor鈥� by Selena. Their charisma had the audience involved and excited about the performance.

Although not all 13 groups that performed went home with prizes, they all went home with a fun and memorable experience.

Residence Life also recognized members of the Residence Life student staff council and one graduating Neighborhood Manager: Wise Halverson.

The evening included opening remarks from President Connie Book and Vice President of Student Life Jon Dooley.

Student Staff Member of the Year (by neighborhood)

Student Staff Member of the Year is awarded to at least one staff member from each residential neighborhood who has demonstrated excellent teamwork, dedication, and positivity in their role.

Recipients

Colonnades: Mackenzie Perry

Danieley: Jason Adama-Tettey

East: Asia Green

Global: Keali Chang

Historic: Kiera Wenzel

Loy: Catarina Gandara Da Silva

Oaks: Morgan Seate

Station at Mill Point: Annabelle Stephens

Living-Learning Community (LLC) End of Year Awards

Almost 80 nominations were submitted for the Living-Learning Community End of Year awards, including nominations by participating students, staff and faculty advisors. 乱伦视频鈥檚 nationally ranked LLCs support over 600 residents in 24 different living-learning communities led by 33 faculty and staff LLC advisors.

Living-Learning Community Student of the Year: Odalys Zelaya Figueroa, First Phoenix LLC, Colonnades Neighborhood

Living-Learning Community Ambassador of the Year: Violette Valadez, First Phoenix LLC, Colonnades Neighborhood

Living-Learning Community Program of the Year: 乱伦视频 College Fellows Murder Mystery Night, East Neighborhood

Living-Learning Community Advisors of the Year: Paula DiBiaso and Kenneth Brown, First Phoenix LLC, Colonnades Neighborhood

Living-Learning Community Resident Assistant of the Year: Grace Smith, Sustainable Living LLC, Colonnades Neighborhood

Living-Learning Community of the Year: Performing Arts LLC, Global Neighborhood

NRHH Rising Diamond Award
Tessa Mattison, senior resident assistant, Historic Neighborhood聽

This award recognizes a Residence Life staff member who shows that leadership inside and outside the department is crucial to continued growth in the 乱伦视频 experience. The recipient of this award has demonstrated that their skill set learned at 乱伦视频 has positively impacted their community and will continue to impact whatever community joined after positively. The official symbol of NRHH is a diamond 鈥搕he world鈥檚 most precious gem- to signify the value and beauty one finds in their experiences.

Student Leadership and Community Development Award
Maximus Garganta, senior resident assistant, Colonnades Neighborhood聽

This award highlights a student staff member who demonstrated extraordinary leadership in their role and promoted community development by challenging and caring for residents through their 乱伦视频 experiences.

Student Employee Excellence Award
Eva Miller, office assistant, Global Neighborhood聽

This award highlights an hourly student employee who has displayed extraordinary dedication, leadership and service to their neighborhood and/or the Office of Residence Life. They consistently positively impact their neighborhood/office staff and community by going above and beyond what is asked in completing their work responsibilities.

Julie Justice Faculty Engagement Award
Claudine Moreau, faculty director, Historic Neighborhood

In honor of Julie Justice鈥檚 depth of service and engagement with her residents during her time as a faculty-in-residence in the Oaks neighborhood, this award honors a faculty member who has contributed to enhancing the residential campus initiative by engaging with students within the residential community, and broadly developing connections within the neighborhood to enhance the student residential experience.

Program of the Year

Neighborhood: East
Program Name:聽East Gets on the Bus to Twin Lakes
This award highlights a neighborhood program, event, or series that promotes active engagement of residents with faculty and staff over a topic that promotes the intellectual theme of the neighborhood.

Firestarter Award
Sydney Michel, resident assistant, Historic Neighborhood聽

This award recognizes a new student staff member who has shown exceptional promise in their role through creative and engaging floor programming, sound decision-making, and a consistently positive attitude. Their dedication to building community and enhancing the living and learning experience at 乱伦视频 sets a strong foundation for continued impact and growth.

Trailblazing Guide Award
Nicholas Rugbart, senior resident assistant, Global Neighborhood聽聽

This award honors a seasoned student staff member who consistently goes above and beyond – not only excelling in their own role, but also serving as a reliable source of support and mentorship for their peers. Their approachable nature and commitment to fostering a strong living and learning environment truly embody the spirit of campus community.

Tracy Pace Program Assistant of the Year
Sandra Bays, program assistant, East Neighborhood

This award honors a program assistant in Residence Life who utilizes exceptional organization, interpersonal, and customer service skills.

Professional Staff Member of the Year
Mariann King, community director, Global Neighborhood

This award recognizes a professional staff member of the Residence Life team who has demonstrated mentorship, community building and professionalism throughout the 2024-25 academic year.

Community Partnership Award
Grace Smith, resident assistant, Colonnades Neighborhood

The Community Partnership Award is presented to an individual who has continuously partnered and supported throughout the school year with Campus Safety and Police.

More than 50 immigrant and refugee students received recognition for their dedicated participation in weekly English classes supported by 乱伦视频 students, faculty, and staff.

The graduation marks a milestone in an ongoing partnership between the Burlington Masjid and 乱伦视频鈥檚 Multifaith Scholars Program, as well as 乱伦视频鈥檚 Global Neighborhood. Throughout this academic year, 乱伦视频 students and staff have volunteered at the Masjid, providing structured ESL instruction, tutoring and conversation support to a community made up primarily of newcomers from Afghanistan and Syria.

鈥淭his initiative is rooted in our commitment to global citizenship and local engagement,鈥� said Sandy Marshall, faculty director of the Global Neighborhood and interim director of the Multifaith Scholars Program. 鈥淭he Burlington Masjid plays a vital role in supporting newly arrived refugees, and this collaboration is a natural extension of our shared goals.鈥�

Each Sunday morning throughout the academic year, approximately 50 students have gathered for lessons in listening, reading and writing in English. The program is tailored to meet the unique needs of learners adapting to life in a new country.

Multifaith Scholar Bethany Marzella 鈥�24 and 乱伦视频 College Fellow Rachel Curtis 鈥�24 were among the early volunteers who helped launch the initiative with just a handful of students in 2023. As the number of refugee families in the Burlington area increased, so did interest from 乱伦视频 volunteers, especially amid reductions in federal refugee resettlement support.

Alyssa Carney 鈥�26, an international and global studies and history double major, and Owen Hayes 鈥�26, a history major, began volunteering in fall 2024,聽 as part of their community engagement efforts with the MFS program. Recognizing the need for consistent, structured language support, they worked with Marshall and the Masjid to help expand the program.

鈥淪eeing the class grow has been incredible,鈥� said Dina Halayqa, volunteer coordinator for the ESL program at the Masjid. 鈥淭his is more than just grammar and vocabulary. It鈥檚 a space where people are rewriting their stories in a new land.鈥�

Greatly contributing to the growth of the program has been the dedicated support given by Nicole Galante, assistant director of National and International Fellowships, who joined as a volunteer in January. Like Halayqa, Galante agrees that the program is about more than language learning.

鈥淢eaning-making is a communal process that transcends the boundaries of language,” said Galante. “I love helping students at the masjid learn English, but I really love coming together despite our differences to learn more about ourselves and the world.鈥�

Additional volunteers who joined in the spring include Jesse White 鈥�26, also a multifaith scholar, Tajallah Amirkhil 鈥�28, Huria Tahiry 鈥�26 and Jenna Abousaab 鈥�27. With increased capacity, the program offers two class sections: one for primarily Arabic-speaking students from Syria, and another for Dari and Pashto speakers from Afghanistan.

鈥淎s a Syrian American, it’s incredibly meaningful to have been a part of this experience,鈥� said Abousaab, 鈥渨hich has not only allowed me to give back to the community but has helped me reconnect with my roots in a way I never expected.鈥�

Yasmeen, a Syrian student in the program, shared what the class has meant to her: 鈥淚 still have a lot of learning to do, but this class has taught me how to build relationships in my community and communicate with my neighbors.鈥�

For the 乱伦视频 students involved, the experience has offered insight into community engagement, cross-cultural connection and mutual learning.

As the program looks to continue in the next academic year, organizers hope to further expand the curriculum, recruit more volunteers, and build on the deep relationships formed through language and learning.

The World Percussion Ensemble at聽culminated the spring semester with a rousing drum performance at the Global Neighborhood for their 2023 Spring Festival. The drumming ensemble routinely performs rhythms from West Africa and the African Diaspora.

Members of the 2023 乱伦视频 World Percussion Ensemble inlcude: Cody Ciesilski, Victoria Setter, Asia Green, Carson Hirsch, Charlotte Kelly, Joey Krucke, Jacob Laxton, Wium Roets, and Rachel Simmons.

This concert presented rhythms Fe, Balakulandjan, Kuku as taught by grandmaster djembefola, Mamady Keita. A non-traditional rhythm, Fo Fo was played while the audience participated with dancing and clapping to close the show.

The 乱伦视频 World Percussion is open to everyone both students and faculty, regardless of experience.

To join for the Fall of 2023, simply sign up for MUS1081A. No audition required, just the love of music or drumming. The group meetings on Thursdays, 5:30 to 7:10 p.m. and the class is worth 1 semester hour with expression credits. The ensemble is under the direction of founder and adjunct professor Jim Roberts and has been in existence since 2009.

Using the metaphor for planting plants in fertile soil and providing oxygen and beauty for others, Moore talked about the importance of being rooted in community engagement and looking for ways to be useful to others.

The evening began with a screening of Moore鈥檚 story from his interview with聽the Power and Place Collaborative. In this聽video, he discusses his vision for an artist-friendly Burlington and his own plans to paint murals of the twelve Zodiac signs around town. With the first mural painted for the Cancer Zodiac, he is currently staging the second mural in the series with plans to continue the rest in the future.

Following the short film screening, Moore discussed his community activism and social entrepreneurship. Inspired by former Mayor Ian Baltutis ’08, Moore began his civic engagement by volunteering on various city government committees in Burlington. In many cases, Moore has been the first or only African American to serve on the committee and, in almost all cases, was the youngest. His message was that young people can and should get involved and that decisions are made by those who show up. Now, he is putting his energy, organizing and social media skills into promoting young candidates for office.

In addition to his artistic endeavors and civic engagement, Moore also spoke about his entrepreneurial ventures, encouraging his audience to look for business opportunities everywhere. He started out planning events in clubs and from that transitioned into event photography. As Moore has always had a fascination with his spiritual side, he started his own business doing sage services and selling crystals. He also became trained as a Reiki practitioner. Finally, his passion for plants led him to open his own plant nursery. His current plan is to integrate all his services under one umbrella business. In addition to encouraging students in the audience to look for business opportunities, he said he tries to help his friends start businesses as well, seeing entrepreneurship as collaborative rather than competitive.

After the talk and discussion, Moore provided some insights about the care and benefits of snake plants, which were raffled off to lucky students. Moore explained that snake plants are a night plant, meaning they flower and produce oxygen at night, while also controlling carbon dioxide, making it a healthy plant for dorm life.

If getting free food and a great discussion by great speakers sounds appealing, join students, faculty and staff from the Global Neighborhood for the November Dinner at McKinnon Hall on Nov. 8 at 5:30 p.m. November鈥檚 dinner theme is 鈥淕lobal Neighbor鈥� and will feature an Asia cuisine buffet.

International students, faculty, and staff will be the guests of honor. Also joining the dinner will be volunteers and staff members of local refugee resettlement organizations. A special-guest speaker panel will share their stories of coming to the U.S. All are warmly welcome to attend, whether Global Neighborhood residents or聽not.

This past Tuesday, hosted in Global Commons, students and faculty were invited to watch a streaming of “Donbass,” a film taking place in a war-torn Eastern Ukraine. Working to organize the Global Film series are Dan Burns, assistant professor of English, and Binnan Gao, lecturer of Chinese in world languages and cultures, whose efforts certainly paid off. Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography, introduced the film and the guest speaker, Vitaliy Strohush, assistant professor of economics, who is from Ukraine.

The film takes place in a separated Ukraine. A parody of what has occurred in the region from 2014 to the present day, “Donbass” takes place in Eastern Ukraine, now named Novorossiya. As Russian propaganda and manipulation has become increasingly more prevalent, the way society has been starts to crumble. A film often described as 鈥渁ngry,鈥� “Donbass” shows many different angles of a separatist, Russian-supporting region of Ukraine.

Although it seems as if the film is pieced together in different bits, it is quite the opposite. Each scene in the film highlights the ways various people and places in the region would function under a different governmental belief and alignment. There is a scene which shows off a military checkpoint where the men aboard a bus are taken for the army, and another where a governmental meeting is occurring and not going so well. The scenes come together well, even coming full circle in the end with the same scene as the beginning but a little different. Novorossiya in this film is shown as a dark place in every scene; a place where they beat people senseless on the streets, using fascism and Nazis to justify their actions.

In a Q&A session with Strohush, it was discussed how the Russians use Nazis to justify their attacks, as World War II was a battle they had won, and it was the battle against the Nazis. A common enemy, the film shows how that is used to unite Russians, and the threat of fascism can push them to believe it, to the point of fighting 鈥渞ebels鈥� to keep Novorossiya alive.

Despite being released in 2018, Sergei Loznitsa’s “Donbass” reflects the current war in Ukraine. Eastern Ukraine is currently under invasion of the Russian army. Laced with propaganda and manipulation, the events of “Donbass” can be applied to the invasion. Attempting to take the Donbass region in the war, Russia very well may be trying to create its own Novorossiya. The similarities in the justifications for the attacks in both the film and in the war are similar. Putin has been justifying his invasion of Ukraine by claiming to be 鈥渄e-Nazifying鈥� Ukraine, a similar reasoning for what soldiers in “Donbass” give for their reasoning in attacking. Additionally, this de-Nazification of Ukraine, as Putin says, is like what the Soviet Union did during World War II.

Following the conclusion of the film, a Q&A session was held with Strohush. One of the things discussed in the Q&A is what Russia does to justify its attacks. The defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II is one thing that Russians are proud of. This defeat also involved the defeat of the Nazis, which is how Russia gets away with many invasions. In the discussion, we were told they used the same excuse when invading many other Eastern European nations such as Georgia, Moldova, and now Ukraine, claiming to be defeating Nazis.

Strohush also gave a firsthand account about what it is like in Ukraine, since he and his wife have family that live in the country. He spoke about the bomb sirens going off quite often, people rushing off to the bomb shelters out of safety. He also gave insight into the film from his point of view, telling the crowd about the feelings behind the film and perspective of the director and production team in a more in-depth way.

“Donbass” features violence, a factor which intensifies its realistic approach. There are many times where it feels like you are watching a documentary and the movie does an excellent job of using emotions, anger, sadness or others, to play into the visual experience.

The next film that the Global Neighborhood will be showing in the Global Film Series is the 2018 released film, “Flee,” directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen. An animated film telling the true story of Amin, an Afghan migrant who is living in Denmark coming to terms with his past to embrace his future. The film will also have a discussion following it which will add a lot to the movies and are essential to tying them up. If interested, the movie will be aired in Global Commons 103 media room on Tuesday Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. Come out and join for a film!

Join Robert Minton, ’18, and Assistant Professor of English Jennifer Eidum for a conversation about Ukraine on Tuesday, April 12, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm EST via Zoom (.

Minton will share his experiences teaching English in Ukraine, first as a Peace Corps volunteer until the COVID pandemic and then independently until war broke out.

While in Ukraine, he spent his time teaching English to middle and high-schoolers, learning how to speak Ukrainian, traveling the country, and meeting all sorts of interesting people along the way. He returned to Ukraine after his Peace Corps service concluded, and resided there until February of 2022.

Joining us from Prague, Minton will share stories and experiences from the field. Minton has been offering insights into life and the war in Ukraine on his blog, , and recently had an op-ed about his experience teaching in Ukraine .

Eidum, who also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine, will moderate a Q&A.

This event is sponsored by the Peace Corps Prep program, International and Global Studies, and the Global Neighborhood.聽

Sala is a native of the Spanish region of Catalu帽a but a nationalized Mexican citizen. He has won more than 80 awards for his short films. His short film titled, “Hiyab” was nominated for the Goya Award for Best Fictional Short Film in 2005.

“Guie鈥橠ani鈥檚 Navel,” his first feature film as a director, was selected in more than 30 festivals and won nine awards, including Special Mention Award for Mexican Feature Film Actress and the Cinepolis Distribution Award at the Morelia Film Festival in Mexico.

The film follows Guie’dani, a Zapotec indigenous girl, who moves to Mexico City with her mother to work in the house of an upper-middle-class family. Guie鈥橠ani refuses to live the life of servitude and rebels against the family鈥檚 racist and classist attitudes and behavior, and searches for freedom through her friendship with another teenage girl.

In striking contrast to Alfonso Cuar贸n鈥檚 “Roma,” Guie鈥橠ani鈥檚 Navel confronts head-on racial, ethnic, linguistic and class discriminations towards the indigenous people still prevalent in Mexico and beyond.

As the director pointed out during the Q&A, “Guie鈥橠ani鈥檚 Navel” is the first-ever Mexican film with two Zapotec women protagonists.

As a Catalan, he found a special bond with the Zapotec indigenous community who have been marginalized by the larger Mexican national identity politics, both historically and recently.

Sala commented that during the process of filming, he and his crew were particularly careful with the dialect that the two women spoke and spent hours, if not days, trying to use the correct and accurate forms and vocabulary, in order to convey the specificities of the protagonists鈥� identity through language with documentary realism.

As 乱伦视频 community reflects on the issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as global citizenship, films such as “Guie鈥橠ani鈥檚 Navel” offer an extremely rich opportunity to learn about the issues of racism, classism, national, ethnic and linguistic identities and the role they all play in the ways in which our societies value or fail to value each individual.聽

The film series was made possible with the support of Pragda, The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of Spain and SPAIN Arts and Culture. It was organized by Associate Professor of Spanish Mayte de Lama, Lecturer Ricardo Mendoza and Senior Lecturer in Spanish Ketevan Kupatadze. Helen McLeod assisted in interpreting from English to Spanish during the Q&A.