by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College in partnership with El Centro Inc. has received the 2016 Kansas Humanities Council Heritage Grant, for “Nuestra Historia: Latino Immigration into Kansas City, Kansas” oral history project. Aaron Margolis, faculty member at KCKCC, will serve as the project director.
KHC funding will allow Nuestra Historia to provide a stipend to five KCKCC students to conduct a series of interviews with Mexican immigrants from various generations.
“This is a really important project,” Margolis said. “It gives students a great opportunity to ‘do history,’ to uncover the stories of the people that form an integral part of the greater Kansas City community. Through social media, an on-line archive and public forums, we are excited to share and engage with the public to discuss the history, present and future of Mexican immigration.”
Nuestra Historia fulfills a key mission of the KHC, a nonprofit organization that supports community-based cultural programs and serves as a financial resource through an active
grant-making programs.
“Heritage grants encourage the preservation of local cultural resources,” said Julie Mulvihill, executive director of KHC. “This oral history project will preserve and share the stories and experiences of late-20th century immigrants for future generations.”
In addition, Nuestra Historia highlights KCKCC’s continuing outreach into the community. Margolis said the project’s partnership with El Centro, who for 40 years has served the Latino community of Greater Kansas City, Kan., underlines the college’s commitment to enriching the life of all members of the region.
The Nuestra Historia project is interested in hearing from those members of the Mexican immigrant community who are interested in sharing their story. For more information, contact Margolis at [email protected] or by calling at 913-288-7443.
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at KCKCC.