Oct 15, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
Student Success Coordinator Sally Smarsty was recently recognized by the state as Michigan’s AmeriCorps Site Supervisor of the Month. “She is passionate about connecting people and making college success coaching familiar to everyone,” the state news release noted. “Whether she is organizing student engagement events on campus or coordinating with other departments, Sally recognizes the powerful role that belonging and community play in student success.”
Congratulations, Sally!
Oct 15, 2021 | Intercom, President Updates, Student News
Good afternoon Northwestern Michigan College family,
Over the past three weeks, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Maritime Administration, and the entire U.S. maritime industry has been addressing the issue of sexual assault and sexual harassment onboard U.S. merchant vessels. This work has been necessitated by the report of a serious sexual assault of a midshipman enrolled at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Due to the seriousness of this incident, I feel it’s important to address this issue with you. First, I want you to know we stand with the survivors of sexual assault and harassment and condemn the actions reported in this incident. Second, I want to share how Northwestern Michigan College and our Great Lakes Maritime Academy have been working to improve the safety of our cadets.
Safety, onshore and while underway has always been a top priority for the College and the Academy. The initiatives and best practices we have developed and adopted over the past decade, in an effort to make certain the cadet experience is positive and free of harassment, include the following:
- The Office of Student Life provides in-person Title IX/Campus SaVE Act training to all cadets prior to their first classes. This training is again provided to all cadets at the end of second semester, subsequent to sailing onboard the Training Ship State of Michigan.
- All cadets complete Social Responsibility training, as approved by the U.S. Coast Guard during their first year at the Academy.
- Every cadet meets with the GLMA Superintendent individually prior to sailing on a commercial vessel. The superintendent provides an avenue for safe reporting, including his and the Dean of Students contact information if there are any incidents. There is also an option to report anonymously.
- Great Lakes Maritime Academy Sea Project Syllabi have been amended to include contact information for reporting inappropriate behavior.
- NMC now administers a survey at the end of every sea project to allow students to anonymously describe their experience.
- The Academy staff has adopted the practice of reaching out to each cadet who is sailing onboard a commercial vessel via text message, to ensure their safety.
We are also committed to continuous improvement. After listening to alumni of the maritime program, during the last year we’ve convened a cross campus team to:
- Further collaborate with GLMA, NMC Student Life, and the staffs of the other state maritime academies to share best practices in order to prevent harassment and assault onboard training ships
- Continue to find ways to assist cadets to adequately prepare for their sea projects, and ensure their safety.
In early November, the GLMA Board of Visitors will hold its annual meeting. The topic of ensuring a safe experience for cadets will be a primary agenda item. Among the initiatives we will begin, that Board of Visitors members have committed to assisting with, include:
- Vetting ships that carry GLMA cadets using a system developed by the federal government for use by the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and
- Visiting vessels while cadets are onboard.
These actions are important and critical to the success of the College, the Academy, and the cadets. I want to personally assure you that we take these concerns seriously at every level of the organization. I have been particularly impressed with the commitment of the entire faculty and staff of Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Maritime Academy, and their dedication to addressing this issue. We are committed to our cadet’s safety and we are continuously working to improve our learning environment. It is critically important to me that all of our students feel safe while enrolled at the College, preparing to serve the nation as officers in the U.S. Merchant Marine.
We are not alone in this important work. Attached you will find a letter from the Consortium of State Maritime Academies which was sent last night to Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley. This letter states that this recent incident, “is not a single academy incident, nor is it a single shipping company incident, nor a single shipping union incident,” and that as one of the nation’s six state maritime academies we are “deeply committed to working with the entire maritime industry to actively address sexual harassment and assault.” I am confident together we can make positive change.
Thank you,
Nick
—
Nick Nissley, Ed.D. | President | Northwestern Michigan College
Release date: October 15, 2021
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, height, weight, marital status or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Oct 14, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College has selected Jason Slade as the college’s inaugural Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, a newly-created executive role in which he will be tasked with charting the college’s future direction.
Jason Slade (download a high-resolution version here)Currently director of NMC’s Technical Division, Slade rose above more than 90 applicants in a nationwide search. He will begin his new role November 29, 2021.
Since the spring NMC has been reimagining the Lifelong and Professional Learning area of the college after longtime college leader Marguerite Cotto announced she would retire at the end of 2021. The new position was created by realigning executive leadership responsibilities, and does not add an additional administrator. The primary focus areas of the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives will include:
- Strategic plan implementation
- Innovation management
- Revenue generation
- Business partnerships
“The search process was thorough and inclusive,” said NMC President Nick Nissley. “I can now say with confidence that the college is poised to build upon our strong past and develop new ways to meet the evolving needs of our diverse stakeholder groups.”
Slade joined NMC as a faculty member in 2014 after working in both private industry and higher education downstate. He was the 2015-16 recipient of the NISOD award for teaching excellence. Affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin, NISOD is committed to promoting and celebrating excellence in teaching, learning, and leadership at community and technical colleges. He became director of the Technical Division in 2019, which includes NMC’s Automotive, Construction Technology, Engineering Technology, REnewable Energy, Surveying, and Welding Technology departments.
“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to strengthen and expand the ways our college serves our students and communities. NMC has a proud history and I know our future holds many more exciting successes,” Slade said.
He will work closely with Cotto as she prepares for retirement after serving the college for 40 years. They will also work together to plan for future leadership of the Technical Division.
Release date: October 14, 2021
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, height, weight, marital status or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Oct 14, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College has selected Jason Slade as the college’s inaugural Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, a newly-created executive role in which he will be tasked with charting the college’s future direction.
Jason Slade (download a high-resolution version here)Currently director of NMC’s Technical Division, Slade rose above more than 90 applicants in a nationwide search. He will begin his new role November 29, 2021.
Since the spring NMC has been reimagining the Lifelong and Professional Learning area of the college after longtime college leader Marguerite Cotto announced she would retire at the end of 2021. The new position was created by realigning executive leadership responsibilities, and does not add an additional administrator. The primary focus areas of the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives will include:
- Strategic plan implementation
- Innovation management
- Revenue generation
- Business partnerships
“The search process was thorough and inclusive,” said NMC President Nick Nissley. “I can now say with confidence that the college is poised to build upon our strong past and develop new ways to meet the evolving needs of our diverse stakeholder groups.”
Slade joined NMC as a faculty member in 2014 after working in both private industry and higher education downstate. He was the 2015-16 recipient of the NISOD award for teaching excellence. Affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin, NISOD is committed to promoting and celebrating excellence in teaching, learning, and leadership at community and technical colleges. He became director of the Technical Division in 2019, which includes NMC’s Automotive, Construction Technology, Engineering Technology, REnewable Energy, Surveying, and Welding Technology departments.
“I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to strengthen and expand the ways our college serves our students and communities. NMC has a proud history and I know our future holds many more exciting successes,” Slade said.
He will work closely with Cotto as she prepares for retirement after serving the college for 40 years. They will also work together to plan for future leadership of the Technical Division.
Release date: October 14, 2021
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, height, weight, marital status or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Oct 14, 2021 | Intercom, President Updates, Student News
Dear NMC family,
Jason Slade
It is my pleasure to announce Jason Slade as the college’s inaugural Vice President for Strategic Initiatives starting November 29, 2021. I am excited for what this new role will offer our college and community and believe Jason’s unique strengths and experiences will position us all for great success!
To find the best candidate, we partnered with search firm Spelman Johnson to undertake a nationwide search that resulted in more than 90 applicants. The search process was thorough and inclusive. I appreciate all of you who contributed by serving on the search team or attending the candidate forums. I can now say with confidence that the college is poised to build upon our strong past and develop new ways to meet the evolving needs of our diverse stakeholder groups. The new VP’s primary focus areas will include:
- strategic plan implementation
- innovation management
- revenue generation
- business partnerships.
As many of you have shared with me, and the vast majority of comments from the candidate forum indicate, Jason has a well respected history of demonstrated success as a collaborator, innovator and servant leader. His mission-driven optimism fuels his inspiration, while his organized engineer mindset keeps him grounded to see the work through to success. Jason joined the college as a faculty member in 2014 after working in both private industry and higher education downstate. He has continued to grow here, leading the robust Technical Division for the last two years. Now Jason will work closely with Marguerite Cotto as she prepares for retirement after serving the college for 40 years. They will also work together to plan for future leadership of the Technical Division.
While many of you know Jason from his time at NMC, through the recent interview process it became clear to us Jason has much more to offer our college and community. He exceeded our expectations at every turn. I am excited to re-introduce Jason to our NMC community in his new role and know his success will be our shared success, and ultimately our learners’ success. Please join me in congratulating and welcoming Jason Slade as NMC’s Vice President for Strategic Initiatives. Congratulations Jason!
Nick
—
Nick Nissley, Ed.D. | President | Northwestern Michigan College
Oct 13, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
October 13, 2021
Two frontline adult learners got another boost toward their college goals last week — a semester’s worth of tuition in NMC’s Big Win giveaway.
“This has been such a relief. I cried when I first found out,” said Sarah Sergent, 37, of Traverse City (right), a first-year student in NMC’s Marine Technology bachelor’s degree program. She currently receives the Futures for Frontliners scholarship, which covers in-district tuition toward an associate degree. Since Marine Technology is a bachelor’s degree, however, some of the classes she’ll take next year won’t qualify under Frontliners.
NMC awarded $30,000 in tuition, housing and bookstore gift certificates to students who submitted proof of COVID-19 vaccination as an incentive to do so. Throughout the pandemic, NMC has prioritized student and employee safety while minimizing the disruption to learning. Students who were vaccinated by Sept. 30 were eligible to enter. More than 900 did.
Kelley Nelson, 38, (left) a Computer Information Technology student from Bellaire, won the other tuition prize. Nelson also receives the Futures for Frontliners scholarship. She is taking livestream online classes due to her full-time job in the IT department at Boyne Highlands Resort. That option is the only way she could pursue a degree, and she’s grateful NMC offers it.
“I’m just slowly chugging along,” she said. “I love it. The teachers are great, everyone’s super helpful.”
With a particularly heavy load of 19 credits next semester Sergent’s also excited that the vaccination prize will allow her to reduce her work hours as a recovery coach at the Traverse Health Clinic and focus on school and maintaining her 4.0 GPA.
“It’s been a lot trying to juggle all this,” she said, adding that she was very nervous about returning to school as an adult, but NMC’s success coaching helped her tremendously.
“When I enrolled I was so scared,” she said. “It changed to, ‘I can do this.’”
In addition to the tuition winners, two students were awarded free housing for the spring semester (up to a $3,200 value each), five students received $500 gift certificates to the NMC bookstore, and ten students received $100 Amazon gift cards.
NMC is currently awarding the Michigan Reconnect scholarship, which provides in-district tuition to students over age 25 without a college degree.
Oct 13, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Two frontline adult learners got another boost toward their college goals last week — a semester’s worth of tuition in NMC’s Big Win giveaway.
NMC offered $30,000 in tuition, housing and bookstore gift certificates as an incentive to students to get vaccinated against COVID-19. More than 900 students entered. Throughout the pandemic, NMC has prioritized student and employee safety while minimizing the disruption to learning.
The winners of the top two prizes, tuition and fees for the spring 2022 semester up to $10,000 in value, are both adult students: Sarah Sergent, 37, of Traverse City, a first-year student in NMC’s Marine Technology bachelor’s degree program, and Kelley Nelson, 38, of Bellaire, a Computer Information Technology student.
“This has been such a relief. I cried when I first found out,” said Sergent. She currently receives the Futures for Frontliners scholarship, which covers in-district tuition toward an associate degree. Since Marine Technology is a bachelor’s degree, however, some of the classes she’ll take next year won’t qualify under Frontliners.
With a particularly heavy load of 19 credits next semester Sergent’s also excited that the vaccination prize will allow her to reduce her work hours as a recovery coach at the Traverse Health Clinic and focus on school and maintaining her 4.0 GPA.
“It’s been a lot trying to juggle all this,” she said, adding that she was very nervous about returning to school as an adult, but NMC’s success coaching helped her tremendously.
“When I enrolled I was so scared,” she said. “It changed to, ‘I can do this.’”
Nelson also receives the Futures for Frontliners scholarship. She is taking livestream online classes due to her full-time job in the IT department at Boyne Highlands Resort. That option is the only way she could pursue a degree, and she’s grateful NMC offers it.
“I’m just slowly chugging along,” she said. “I love it. The teachers are great, everyone’s super helpful.”
In addition to the two tuition winners, prizes for vaccination included free housing for the spring semester (two students, up to a $3,200 value each), $500 gift certificates to the NMC bookstore (five students), and $100 Amazon gift cards (10 students.)
NMC is currently awarding the Michigan Reconnect scholarship, which provides in-district tuition to students over age 25 without a college degree.
Release date: October 13, 2021
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, height, weight, marital status or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Oct 13, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — Two frontline adult learners got another boost toward their college goals last week — a semester’s worth of tuition in NMC’s Big Win giveaway.
NMC offered $30,000 in tuition, housing and bookstore gift certificates as an incentive to students to get vaccinated against COVID-19. More than 900 students entered. Throughout the pandemic, NMC has prioritized student and employee safety while minimizing the disruption to learning.
The winners of the top two prizes, tuition and fees for the spring 2022 semester up to $10,000 in value, are both adult students: Sarah Sergent, 37, of Traverse City, a first-year student in NMC’s Marine Technology bachelor’s degree program, and Kelley Nelson, 38, of Bellaire, a Computer Information Technology student.
“This has been such a relief. I cried when I first found out,” said Sergent. She currently receives the Futures for Frontliners scholarship, which covers in-district tuition toward an associate degree. Since Marine Technology is a bachelor’s degree, however, some of the classes she’ll take next year won’t qualify under Frontliners.
With a particularly heavy load of 19 credits next semester Sergent’s also excited that the vaccination prize will allow her to reduce her work hours as a recovery coach at the Traverse Health Clinic and focus on school and maintaining her 4.0 GPA.
“It’s been a lot trying to juggle all this,” she said, adding that she was very nervous about returning to school as an adult, but NMC’s success coaching helped her tremendously.
“When I enrolled I was so scared,” she said. “It changed to, ‘I can do this.’”
Nelson also receives the Futures for Frontliners scholarship. She is taking livestream online classes due to her full-time job in the IT department at Boyne Highlands Resort. That option is the only way she could pursue a degree, and she’s grateful NMC offers it.
“I’m just slowly chugging along,” she said. “I love it. The teachers are great, everyone’s super helpful.”
In addition to the two tuition winners, prizes for vaccination included free housing for the spring semester (two students, up to a $3,200 value each), $500 gift certificates to the NMC bookstore (five students), and $100 Amazon gift cards (10 students.)
NMC is currently awarding the Michigan Reconnect scholarship, which provides in-district tuition to students over age 25 without a college degree.
Release date: October 13, 2021
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, height, weight, marital status or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Oct 13, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
October 13, 2021
Two frontline adult learners got another boost toward their college goals last week — a semester’s worth of tuition in NMC’s Big Win giveaway.
“This has been such a relief. I cried when I first found out,” said Sarah Sergent, 37, of Traverse City (right), a first-year student in NMC’s Marine Technology bachelor’s degree program. She currently receives the Futures for Frontliners scholarship, which covers in-district tuition toward an associate degree. Since Marine Technology is a bachelor’s degree, however, some of the classes she’ll take next year won’t qualify under Frontliners.
NMC awarded $30,000 in tuition, housing and bookstore gift certificates to students who submitted proof of COVID-19 vaccination as an incentive to do so. Throughout the pandemic, NMC has prioritized student and employee safety while minimizing the disruption to learning. Students who were vaccinated by Sept. 30 were eligible to enter. More than 900 did.
Kelley Nelson, 38, (left) a Computer Information Technology student from Bellaire, won the other tuition prize. Nelson also receives the Futures for Frontliners scholarship. She is taking livestream online classes due to her full-time job in the IT department at Boyne Highlands Resort. That option is the only way she could pursue a degree, and she’s grateful NMC offers it.
“I’m just slowly chugging along,” she said. “I love it. The teachers are great, everyone’s super helpful.”
With a particularly heavy load of 19 credits next semester Sergent’s also excited that the vaccination prize will allow her to reduce her work hours as a recovery coach at the Traverse Health Clinic and focus on school and maintaining her 4.0 GPA.
“It’s been a lot trying to juggle all this,” she said, adding that she was very nervous about returning to school as an adult, but NMC’s success coaching helped her tremendously.
“When I enrolled I was so scared,” she said. “It changed to, ‘I can do this.’”
In addition to the tuition winners, two students were awarded free housing for the spring semester (up to a $3,200 value each), five students received $500 gift certificates to the NMC bookstore, and ten students received $100 Amazon gift cards.
NMC is currently awarding the Michigan Reconnect scholarship, which provides in-district tuition to students over age 25 without a college degree.
Oct 11, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
Women on the Water is a student group for anyone with an interest in a career on the water.
We are running an ongoing can and bottle drive this year to raise money for club members to attend a maritime industry conference in Chicago this spring.
Can and bottle drop-off bins are currently located on the Great Lakes campus in the upstairs student enclave, and in the downstairs rigging lab.
Oct 8, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
The library has recently purchased many new books. You can view a handful of them here along with descriptions or go to the library catalog to see the full listing.
(more…)
Oct 7, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
NMC President Nick Nissley, Ed.D. updates students on the Fall 2021 semester and ongoing campus initiatives including new student resources and the strategic planning process. Learn more at
nmc.edu/student-services and
nmc.edu/strategic-planning.
Oct 7, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
Registration is open for the next session of the library’s new discussion series, Curiosities: Voyages Beyond the Stacks!
Curiosities is a ‘book club’ for those of us who are wary of a cover-to-cover commitment but still want to meet up and talk about interesting stuff with fellow lifelong learners. We welcome students, staff, faculty, and community participants!
Each session meets once a week for four consecutive weeks, discussing material ranging from podcast episodes to articles to mini-documentaries. Our next session, Food & Gratitude, will run from October 21 to November 11, meeting on Thursdays, noon–1 p.m. via Zoom.
Exploring the myriad ways that gratitude – or lack thereof – affects our experience of food, we’ll delve into the people, plants and systems that contribute to what we eat. What do we appreciate, and what is overlooked? We’ll ingest a range of sources, from economics to culture, and pair each week’s material with a suitable recipe.
Oct 7, 2021 | Student News
Come join us for Pumpkin Painting again this year!
Won’t be on campus? We’ll have to go kits available as well!
- Tuesday, Oct. 19: 2–5 p.m., West Hall Innovation Center
- Wednesday, Oct. 20: 1–4 p.m., West Hall Innovation Center
- Thursday, Oct. 21: Noon–1 p.m., Great Lakes Campus
Oct 6, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
Calling all fans!
Dissect, dedicate, and escape into your favorite media with the NMC Magazine this fall. We want all your obsessive creations—from visual art to cosplay to non/fiction. Whether it’s in admiration of shows, films, books, games, bands, content creators, or a piece of satire or analysis of fan culture, we invite you to dine, cope, and dissociate with the fellowship of other stans. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Submitted works can include art, design, illustration, photography, sculpture, cosplay, comics, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essay, recipes, and more.
- Fiction/Nonfiction: 1500 word limit
- Poetry/Lyrics: 30 line limit
- Comics: 30 panels/4 pages limit
Submission Deadline: Monday, November 1st
Submit to nmcmag@mail.nmc.edu. Visit nmc.edu/nmcmagazine to complete a submission form for each entry. Hard copies can be delivered to Fine Arts (attn: Caroline Schaefer-Hills) or Scholars Hall 214 (attn: Alissia Lingaur).
Oct 4, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
TRAVERSE CITY — A free COVID-19 vaccination clinic will be held from 1-4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 11 in the West Hall Innovation Center on NMC’s main campus.
It is open to the general public as well as NMC students, faculty and staff. Vaccinations will be administered by staff of the Traverse Health Clinic.
Release date: OCTOBER 4, 2021
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
Associate Vice President of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY NOTICE
Northwestern Michigan College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, height, weight, marital status or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. nmc.edu/non-discrimination
Oct 1, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
The NMC Jazz Big Band will be performing at the Grand Traverse Circuit on Thursday, Oct. 14, and the NMC Jazz Lab Band will perform there on Thursday, Oct. 28. The programs, from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. each night, will also feature the Jeff Haas Trio plus Laurie Sears.
Suggested donation of $10, masks required.
The Grand Traverse Circuit is located at 225 W. 14th Street in Traverse City.
Oct 1, 2021 | Intercom, Student News
I realized as I started this list that I wasn’t certain about the difference between Hispanic & Latinx. So, I did some research. Hispanic is a cultural identity of Americans who trace their roots to Spanish speaking countries. This is different from Latinx, though there is overlap. And that also means a lot of diversity! This short film is a quick primer about what it means to be Hispanic and a little info on the significance of HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH and how it came to be.
This list includes fiction, poetry and podcasting by Hispanic-Americans, as well as work that celebrates the myriad cultures they represent.
POETRY
The Whole Island: Six Decades of Cuban Poetry, a Bilingual Anthology edited by Mark Weiss
Deeply rooted in Cuban culture, many of these poets have been at the center of political and social changes. The poems offered here constitute an essential source for understanding the literature and culture of Cuba. Presented in a beautiful Spanish-English edition.
Ameriscopia by Edwin Torres
Shattering the definition of Latino into a million little pieces, poet Edwin Torres reassembles identity into something that is more likely and at the same time unexpected, complex, and multifaceted. From conversations in cars to fast-beat lullabies, Ameriscopia is a collection that taps into rhythms both distinctive and dynamic.
The Real Horse by Farid Matuk
A sustained address to the poet’s daughter, this collection asks readers to think deeply about our place in the world, multiracial connections and intersectional feminism.
Buzzing Hemisphere : Rumor Hemisferico by Urayoán Noel
Imagines an alternative to the monolingualism of the U.S. literary and political landscape, and proposes a performance attuned to marginalized forms of knowledge, perception, and identity.
Twelve Clocks by Julie Sophia Paegle
This book consists of interconnected poems concerned with various modes of time and their relation to personal and historical events.
FICTION
Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar
In 1960s New York, fifth-grader Ruthie, a Cuban-Jewish immigrant, must rely on books, art, her family, and friends in her multicultural neighborhood when an accident puts her in a body cast.
The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa
It is 1961. The Dominican Republic languishes under economic sanctions, the Catholic church spurs its clergy against the government from its highest ranks down, the country is arrested in bone-chilling fear. Vargas Llosa unflinchingly tells the story of a regime’s final days and the unsteady efforts of the men who would replace it.
Sabrina & Corina by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
Latinas of Indigenous descent living in the American West take center stage in this haunting debut story collection—a powerful meditation on friendship, mothers and daughters, and the deep-rooted truths of our homelands.
Don’t Hate the Player by Alexis Nedd
Sixteen-year-old Emilia, secretly a dedicated gamer, competes with her elite team in a major tournament at the same time she and her best friend are running for class president and vice president.
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
In the 1930s, civil war gripped Spain. Thousands are forced to flee over the mountains to the French border. Among them is a pregnant young widow who finds her life irreversibly intertwined with an army doctor. In order to survive, the two must unite in a marriage neither wants, and together embark with 2,200 other refugees in search of a new life.
Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner
In Havana, a cabaret dancer meets a French agitator whose seductive demeanor can’t mask his shameful past. Together they become enmeshed in the brewing political underground. When Fidel Castro leads a revolt from the mountains above the cane plantation, K.C. and Everly begin to discover the brutality that keeps the colony humming.
FILMS IN KANOPY
Explore movies in Kanopy for free. Go to nmc.kanopy.com and login using your NMC ID and password.
BEYOND THE LIBRARY: PODCASTS
Wait, Hold Up!
Hosted by Jessica Molina and Yarel Ramos, the Wait, Hold Up! podcast brings a weekly interview with luminaries on the moments that changed their lives. Molina and Ramos also delve into the latest pop culture and politics with refreshing candor. Recent highlights include an episode on changing toxic relationship patterns, immigration reform, and fighting imposter syndrome.
Tres Cuentos
Carolina Quiroga-Stultz hosts this bilingual storytelling podcast that’s dedicated to the traditional narratives of Latin America. It explores the myths, legends, and folktales that are told in the Hispanic, Indigenous, and Afro-Latin American world. It’s a truly beautiful podcast, and lit lovers will enjoy their series interviewing Latino authors across different countries and cultures.
In The Thick
If you’re looking for a daring podcast that doesn’t hesitate to feature difficult conversations, try In the Thick, hosted by award-winning journalists Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela. They don’t hold back when discussing race, identity, and politics with episodes that feature topics such as domestic terrorism, the cycles of trauma, and census suppression
