Join the DC History Center for Movements + Moments, a conversation series centering Latinx experiences, influences, and roles in DC history.

In 1979, Spanish-speaking students in Washington, DC were struggling to find support in public schools, dropping out at alarming rates. Systemic inequalities, low expectations, and cultural and language divides affected students’ coursework and sense of belonging. Maria Tukeva recognized these problems had solutions. She, with a task force of educators, created the Multicultural Career Intern Program (MCIP), which eventually became the Bell Multicultural High School at the Columbia Heights Educational Campus (CHEC), today at 16th and Irving Streets NW.

On Wednesday, May 7, join the DC History Center at CHEC to learn how educator activism created a unique learning experience that prioritized low-income, low-English students. Learn from alumnus Manuel Mendez in conversation with founder and current principal Maria Tukeva and former school guidance counselor Rafael Cepeda about the role of this school in educating Latinx Washingtonians. We'll start the evening with snacks before hearing from current students in the bilingual education academy about their own research into the school’s history.

WHAT TO EXPECT

5:30 PM	Community Time: conversation, snacks, and music
6:00 PM	Student Research Presentations
6:30 PM	Maria Tukeva and Rafael Cepeda, interviewed by Manuel Mendez
7:30 PM	Program ends

SPEAKERS

Maria Tukeva is founder and principal at the Columbia Heights Education Campus (CHEC). She has led the school since its inception as the Multicultural Career Intern Program (MCIP) in 1981, steering it into a beloved and respected institution over the past 40 years. Ms. Tukeva has nurtured an ethos of student empowerment and involving the larger community to ensure that the city provide resources to the needs of limited English proficient Washingtonians. This enabled CHEC grow from originally serving 40 students to serving nearly 28,000 and their families over the span of 44 years.

Rafael Cepeda is a published songwriter, motivational speaker, and community activist. He was featured in "Afro Latinos in DC", a "trailer" documentary. He maintains a deep commitment to social justice, including through key roles at organizations, including Clinic Director & Treatment Coordinator at Community Action Against Addiction (Cleveland, Ohio), Counselor at the Latin American Youth Center, Guidance Counselor at the Multi-Cultural Internship Program (MCIP), Assistant Director at the Bureau of Rehabilitation, and Program Director of the Neighborhood Jobs Initiative at the Development Corp. of Columbia Heights.

Manuel Mendez is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Maryland’s College of Information Studies and chair of the DC AfroLatino Caucus. His scholarship focuses on Afro-Latino history in the DC metro region. A Public Historian, documentary producer, Reparative Archivist, and activist, Manuel is an expert on Latino identity, Black cultural memory and heritage, and anti-Black racial oppression among Spanish-speaking and/or white supremacist communities. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Mendez moved to Washington, DC at the age of nine. He is a graduate of Bell Multicultural High School and holds a BA in African Studies and Communication (Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio).

MOVEMENTS + MOMENTS

The DC History Center, with its Latino/a/x Advisory Group, brings you Movements + Moments, a conversation series centering Latinx experiences, influences, and roles in DC history. This series asks the questions: How do we weave Latinx histories into DC’s historical narratives? Whose stories are missing?

REGISTRATION AND ACCESSIBILITY

Registration for this event is free for all attendees. Walk-ins are welcome. If you require accommodation for a disability, email us at programs@dchistory.org. Please give us two weeks' notice to best meet your needs. We are committed to making events accessible for all participants. There will be photo and video taken at this event.

DONATE
The DC History Center’s work to deepen understanding of our city’s past relies on the generosity of supporters like you! Gifts at every level make a meaningful difference in our ability to tell stories, connect Washingtonians, and inspire history-informed action. Make a gift at registration today to support our work to bring more stories like this program to the forefront.

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