Stories

^{Breaking Through director Marilet Martinez; actors Johnny Valerio and Gisela Feied; Francisco Jiménez; actors Stephanie Roman and Noah Esquivel; stage manager Paige Weissenburger. Photo: Jennifer Schwartz, Managing Director, PCPA}

Francisco Jiménez (Modern Languages & Literatures, professor emeritus) had “Expulsados,” a chapter from his book Senderos Fronterizos, published in Temas by Vista Higher Learning, 2022. He gave a presentation to all first-year students at Los Gatos High School who were required to read his memoir, Breaking Through, on September 7. He presented “The Immigrant Experience” for the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, on September 15, and for Matterport Company, on September 23. Francisco also gave a presentation on his book, The Circuit, at Tessellations School in Cupertino on October 19 and met with the SCU LEAD scholars on October 25 to discuss his memoir Reaching Out.

The play Breaking Through, adapted from Jiménez’s book by the same title by Leo Cortez, was performed by the Pacific Conservatory for the Performing Arts (PCPA) in Santa Maria on October 29. After the performance, Jiménez and Marilet Martínez, the director of the play, engaged in a conversation and answered questions. The play is being performed this fall at schools throughout the Central Coast of California.

Excerpts from his books, Cajas de cartón and Senderos fronterizos were published in Retratos latinos, edited by Asse Ledal and Ulla Ringgaard. Gylenal Education, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2022. He also participated in a panel discussion with Dolores Huerta and Luis Valdez as part of a Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibit on Dolores Huerta: Revolution in the Fields/Revolución en los Campos. The panel discussion centered on topics of resilience, perseverance, civic engagement, and social justice. It was moderated by Damian Trujillo and took place at the Wheeler Center in Gilroy on November 12.