Hello Friends,

After conversations with the Town staff we have decided to move the OVMY event from the spring to fall season (of course, pending approval by Town Council).

The 2015 inaugural OVMY was a success in many important ways—but we also realize that the vision for doing this work is larger and broader than a single “event.” We prefer to think of the goal of building respect and education for cultural diversity in Oro Valley as a “project” that can take many different forms year-round (and add something different and unique to the already existing great events that exist in the Town).

Over the next few months, we will offer a series of more intimate, small, hands-on cultural programs that more broadly address this goal, using the OVMY event as a “culmination” of efforts and not just a single event.

I am also convening a small volunteer Advisory Group to help plan these events and the next OVMY. If you are interested, let me know. I’d like to convene this group soon and learn from all of you how we can make OVMY a stand-out, culturally rich and deep experience.

Sincerely,
Maribel Alvarez
Executive Director
Southwest Folklife Alliance

*You can also write to me directly at: alvarezm@u.arizona.edu