University celebrates Jose Marti with breakfast, art and scholarships

Nicholas Olivera//Staff Writer

Growing up in Miami, the name Jose Marti has been spoken about with the same reverence as historical figures like Martin Luther King or Abraham Lincoln.

For the last 16 years, the University has commemorated the birthday of Jose Marti (January 28) with a free breakfast at the BBC and this year is no different.

“The purpose of our annual celebration is to honor him as well as his contributions to both literature and history,” said Marcy Alstrom, chair for the Jose Marti Breakfast Committee.

Donations that go towards the Jose Marti Scholarship will be collected during the event.

The scholarship, which has benefitted over 100 students of different cultural backgrounds for the last 16 years, have ranged from two hundred to one thousand dollars.

It is an event that works towards a cause that Jose Marti himself would be proud of, according to Alstrom.

“Jose Marti was a very developed man who had many passions, especially education and the belief that everyone should have access to it,” said Alstrom. “Our event was made to recognize the students being rewarded and to collect the donations that will assist these students in pursuing their education.”

In addition to the free breakfast and rewarding of scholarships, Thursday’s event will feature an artistic showcase that will pay tribute to the life and work of Marti.

Each year has a specific theme and this year the University will be celebrating Jose Marti as a playwright.

“Guests will be able to gain knowledge about Jose Marti and his diverse body of work,” said Raul Moncarz, University vice provost emeritus and creator of the event. “Not only was he a patriot but he was a writer, an intellectual, a diplomat.”

Thespians Fernando Hechavarría and Alicia Hechavarría-Vidal, known for their international work in both film and stage, will be performing a dramatic piece.

Prima ballerina Irene Rodríguez, who has studied at the National School of the Arts, will take herself through a dance routine featuring the same Spanish rhythms of her homeland, Cuba.

And finally, painter Yosvany Martinez, who has had his work featured in art collections all around the world, will have his art on display.

All of these artists will be putting their craft on display in order to pay homage to the legacy of Jose Marti.  

According to Moncarz, the performances hopefully will be recorded and perhaps some of Martinez’s paintings will be donated to the University. It will add to the wealth of content on Jose Marti as well as allowing FIU students and maybe future generations of students the opportunity to understand the man Jose Marti was and admire his many accomplishments.

“Considering the large population of Cubans that are living in Miami, we would be ignoring a huge part of Cuban culture by not recognizing Jose Marti,” said Jesus Saenz, a senior majoring in sports and fitness. “Whenever I would visit Cuba, my great-grandmother would read me his poems and they mean a lot to me.”

A free breakfast and performances from the esteemed artists are meant to attract a large crowd, but the committee in charge of the event asserts that rewarding scholarships to students has always been the reason for the annual celebration.

“The event has always been about helping the students as much as we can,” said Moncarz. “Like Jose Marti said, ‘Los ninos son la esperanza del mundo.’ The children are the hope of the world.”

The 16th Annual Jose Marti breakfast will be held on Thursday, January 28 at the BBC between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.

 

 

Image courtesy of flikr