As part of Broward County Library's Nation al Endowment for the Arts Big Read program\, the Library is featuring "Chr ysanthemum Dream" art exhibition by Jessica Faith Rodriguez\, a Colombian American Artist. This year's NEA Big Read novel is "Infinite Country" by P atricia Engel. The novel takes place in Colombia and the United States.&nb sp\;
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n< p>\n\n\nJessica Faith Rodriguez's Biography:<
/strong>
"It all started with my mother\, who immigrated to the Unite
d States from Colombia when she was the young age of 22. She worked cleani
ng hotels in Miami Beach as a single mom taking care of my big brother Kik
o. My dad\, who also immigrated from Colombia at the ripe age of one years
old\, grew up in the colorful city of North Miami. My parents one day fou
nd each other in the 80&rsquo\;s and fell in love\, and had me\, my brothe
r and baby sister. We grew up in the Cuban American town of Hialeah\, Flor
ida where we spent most of our youth fighting like little siblings do over
who had control of the remote control. I grew up listening to the tales a
nd
nostalgia from the older generations who immigrated from Colombia\
, Cuba\, Dominican Republic\, Puerto Rico\, Venezuela\, the list goes on &
hellip\; I grew up in a very multicultural community. I had friends from e
very country and nationality from the Caribbean to South America. We came
from humble beginnings\, a family of five living in a small apartment\, li
ving on meager wages\, learning and growing up with our colorful neighbors
."
"So maybe it doesn't need to be said\, but I am Colombian Ameri can. I loved living in Hialeah\, growing up with my Cuban American friends . My sister was born in 1990 and she became my little side kick against th e boyish bullying from my brother. I danced ballet for 10 years with the C uban girls\, while my sister pretty much followed my footsteps. I attended Norland Middle\, a magnet school from 6th to 8th grade for the visual art s\, in a predominantly African American school in Miami. It is here where I learned how to practice art\, drawing\, painting\, and photography. I al so learned how to be more fun\, and spontaneous\, for I was a very shy and sensitive little girl. Thanks to the skills I learned in Norland Middle\, I was accepted to one of the top ten high schools in the United States\, DASH or Design Architecture Senior High. Here is where I studied more in d epth about art and film for four years\, I graduated in 2006." To learn mo re of Jessica's story\, visit her art exhibit at the Southwest Regional Li brary during Broward County Library's NEA Big Read program. \;
\n\nThis year's NEA Big Read novel is "Infinite Country" by Patricia Engel. \;
\nNEA Big Read \;is a pr ogram of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midw est.
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The \;Broward Public Library Foundation \;is a charitable organization incorporated in 198 2 committed to enhancing the collections\, programs\, and services of the Broward County Library beyond the means of public funding. \;Broward P ublic Library Foundation \;is the proud sponsor of the NEA Big Read pr ogram striving to achieve a state of excellence throughout the county's fa mily of libraries. \;
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Indoor\, in-person programs will be contingent on Centers for Di sease Control benchmark and guidance for low COVID-19 infection rates.
\nHigh rates of infection will necessitate cancellation of indoor\, in- person programs.
\nIn the event indoor\, in-person programs are canc elled\, there are many online programs available at \;https://www.youtube.com /user/browardcountylibrary/videos \; \; \;
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