Category: Education

Flagstaff Arts Council — $68,350 in Relief Funding Awarded to 22 Flagstaff Nonprofits

Twenty-two Flagstaff nonprofits were awarded a total of $68,350 through the COVID-19 Art & Science Nonprofit Relief Fund. The fund was initially established on March 18, 2020, shortly after the pandemic took hold.

15 grantees received awards in an earlier round, announced April 30, 2020. Each first-round recipient received additional funding in the 2nd round. This round, seven additional organizations received awards. New grants range from $750 to $7,500 each. Total combined awards for both rounds range from $1,000 to $7,500 each.

ECONA — What Does ‘Back to School’ Look Like?

It’s been an interesting week for educators nationwide as they look for the safest ways to implement back to school plans for their students.

That planning has been complicated by a daily tug-of-war between the White House administration, which is pushing for “fully” opened schools, and local health and education officials who are mostly pursuing hybrid plans that blend in-person with remote or digital learning. 

CCHHS offering COVID Aware Enhanced Food Handler’s Certification

Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) and Northern Arizona University (NAU) have partnered to create a new COVID Aware Enhanced Food Handler’s Certification for the local food-service industry.

The CCHHS Enhanced Food Handler’s Certification represents the most current health guidance directly related to preventing the spread of COVID-19 in a food-service establishment.

Early Voting For State Primary Election Has Begun

Early voting for the August 4, 2020 Primary Election started Wednesday, July 8.  The Coconino County Elections office mailed out over 44,600 early ballots to voters on the permanent early voting list (PEVL) and those who have requested a single election early ballot for the Primary Election.    

Coconino County Recorder Patty Hansen urges all Coconino County registered voters to request an early ballot be mailed to them, or to vote early in person at one of the early voting locations.

Flagstaff Convention & Visitor’s Bureau — Find virtual events with Flagstaff 365 Happenings

‌ ‌ ‌ July 9-15, 2020 This Week’s Virtual Highlights Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below…

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y’s Webinar Part B Historical Trauma now available

CCC&Y’s Webinar Part B Historical Trauma now available by clicking here.

In Part B, culturalist and historic trauma specialist Iya Affo takes us deeper into the impact historical trauma has on so many of our community members. A topic that is not always openly discussed and well understood in mainstream society, historic trauma is often not considered when designing helping programs, systems or overall prevention programming and worse when placing judgements against groups of people. 

Sedona Arts Center — Vince Fazio to leave Sedona Arts Center

It is with a mix of sadness and gratitude that the Board of Directors announces the departure of Vince Fazio as Executive Director of the Sedona Arts Center. We have been fortunate to have a leader with passion, creative vision and strong business acumen to be at the helm of our organization the past three years. Under his leadership we have experienced growth across the full spectrum of the Arts Center’s many dimensions, including the Fine Art Gallery, School and Special Events. 

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — Parks and Recreation Opens Registration for Summer Camps

Coconino County Parks & Recreation is now accepting registrations for the Outdoor Adventure Summer Day Camp. Activities for this year’s camp include archery, group games, hiking, arts and crafts, and a field trip to Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course.
Due to COVID-19, staff made some changes to camp this year, including:
· Camp will operate Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
· Camp will not operate with fewer than 10 participants and no more than 15.
· There will be fewer field trips this year, with most activities occurring at Fort Tuthill
County Park.
Check out CocoRec for a complete list of camp COVID-19 policies and to register by July 10

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future: Communications Issue #3 — Correction

We are adding two small corrections to the links for the Southside Plan and related public hearings.

Southside Plan

After several years of community participation, the Southside Community Plan, which will define how the Southside will develop for years to come, is almost ready for adoption. Go to www.flagstaff.az.gov/southsideplan [updated] to read. 

To participate in the public forum, please visit: 
https://www.opentownhall.com/9105

Museum of Northern Arizona — Museum exhibits reopen

This is a year of constantly evolving changes for all of us, including MNA. After months trying to reimagine the annual summer festivals celebrating Indigenous arts and culture in a way that they could safely continue, we have determined that we must cancel the festivals completely. We make this decision with heavy hearts, recognizing that these festivals are important to the community, and particularly to the artists. We initially hoped that we would be able to reschedule the festivals to a single larger event in September. We now know that it is unlikely we can hold a large gathering in September, even if it was going to be outdoors and dispersed. Sad as we are to make this decision, we will now turn our energy to finding other ways to help the Native artists market themselves and to allow our members to support the Native populations.

NAU News — Ecological Restoration Institute at NAU announces Andrew Sánchez Meador as new executive director

Sánchez Meador, currently a professor in the School of Forestry, is a trusted expert among ecologists, scientists and land managers for his high-impact research in forestry and ecological restoration and innovative approach to science delivery and communication.

[ECONA] COVID-19 Bulletin #10: Hitting the ‘Rewind’ Button

It’s been more than a month since our last bulletin on how coronavirus is affecting the regional economic landscape. Since that time, we’ve gone from cautious reopening to reversals as COVID-19 cases spiked in Arizona. Here’s the latest:

#1. Governor Doug Ducey hits the ‘rewind’ button on reopening with select business closures until at least July 27. Back in early May, the governor accelerated the state’s reopening, citing positive trends in coronavirus infection rates. By mid-May, the statewide stay-at-home order expired and within days of that, cases of COVID-19 began to spike.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y to become a historical trauma certified agency

CCC&Y has agreed to partner with Heal Historical Trauma to become a historical trauma certified agency, which will include providing training to the non-profit organization during a full day level-one certification program.

“The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth is one of few organizations ready to declare their commitment to serving communities of color with such vigor and determination. It is with extreme pride and excitement that I welcome our partnership as we work as one to create a world filled with love and equity that honors diversity and embraces all colors, shades, races, ethnicities, levels of ability and gender fluidity,” said Iya Affo, founder of Heal Historic Trauma.

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — Coconino County Calls on All to Wear Face Coverings

In This Newsletter:

Quote of the Day
Coconino County Offices closed in honor of Independence Day
Coconino County Calls on All to Wear Face Coverings
Coconino County Emergency Fire Ban includes fireworks
DDD Virtual Town Hall Meeting
COVID-19 Daily Dashboard
New COVID-19 Weekly Report Available
AZDHS COVID-19 Website 
Don’t forget to fill out the 2020 Census!
Stay Connected with Us!

Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau — Find virtual events with Flagstaff 365 Happenings

Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below are some highlights. For a complete printable pdf list of events click below.

Board of Supervisors adopts 2021 County budget

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors adopted the Fiscal Year 2021 budget during its public meeting on June 23. The budget, effective July 1, focuses on service delivery and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and responsible financial planning in light of declining revenue.    

“The Board of Supervisors spent considerable time over this year weighing priorities and deliberating this year’s budget,” said Chairwoman Liz Archuleta. “Coconino County is financially strained from a dramatic loss in state and local sales tax as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The County has demonstrated great fiscal responsibility in this budget to meet the service needs of our community during these challenging times.”  

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — Resilient Arizona Crisis Counseling Program to Provide Free, Confidential Support and Resources for Arizona Residents Impacted by COVID-19

New Bilingual Statewide Program Accessible via 2-1-1 Arizona
In partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and made possible by Federal Emergency Management Agency Grant funding, Crisis Response Network (CRN) announces that the new Resilient Arizona Crisis Counseling Program was launched on June 22, 2020, to provide 100% free and confidential support and connections to resources for Arizona residents impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Accessible via CRN’s existing 2-1-1 statewide information and referral phone number, the Resilient Arizona Crisis Counseling Program is a bilingual (English and Spanish), federally-funded program that will connect callers to crisis counseling providers in their area throughout the state of Arizona.

Sedona Arts Center — New Online Offerings!

FREE INTRO NIGHT
Note: The first meeting is an evening orientation talk with Stuart Shils that will be open to the public: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I NOTICE JACK NICHOLSON?
Thursday, July 23, 4:30 – 6:00 pm (Arizona time)

The workshop itself will be three lively mornings exploring the relationship between drawing and observation, examining how close and clarified observation can hone our visually analytical minds, regardless of what it is we are looking at.

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — DES Virtual – Expansion of Community Partner Communication

The Director’s Office of Community Engagement (OCE) at the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) continues to successfully engage with our community partners throughout our programmatic divisions. In continuing this effort, this event will provide the most recent updates from DES’ Senior Leadership about the success of the Virtual Office model across the agency. It will also provide an opportunity to bring information to our statewide Community Partners regarding DES’ efforts to serve Arizonans in a Virtual Environment, how it is tracking the staff productivity, and the importance of this model. During this virtual session, our Director will be sharing his vision of consistent dialogue and a call to action.

STEM City honors CCC’s Jeff Jones at STEMmy Awards

Virtual reality, 3-D printers, Raspberry Pis and Micro:bits.

His passion is getting people – young and not so young – interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

Jeff Jones, longtime fixture at Coconino Community College, was awarded the honor of STEM Community Leader of the Year by STEM City during the eighth annual Flagstaff STEMmy Awards, which were held virtually on June 17. He was a co-winner of the award with Samantha Gorney from Lowell Observatory.

Sedona Arts Center — Online Learning and Online Gallery OPEN

Magic and Dreams Online Exhibition & Sale
Through June 30, 2020

This year the Sedona Arts Center is celebrating ‘The Year of the Woman’ by creating special exhibitions for women artists like Magic and Dreams a juried exhibition that features the work of women artists in Arizona.

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — COVID-19 testing is free and does not require a Doctor’s order

In This Newsletter:

Quote of the Day
COVID-19 Daily Dashboard
New COVID-19 Weekly Report Available
AZDHS COVID-19 Website 
COVID-19 Testing Information
Don’t forget to fill out the 2020 Census!
Stay Connected with Us!

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y Awards Child Abuse Prevention Scholarship

Madison Olson, a senior at Williams High School, received a $500 scholarship from the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth.  Our Prevention Council created our annual Child Abuse Prevention Essay contest so that Williams High School Seniors could describe what the community can do to help prevent and respond to child abuse and childhood trauma.

Her winning essay focused on bullying, the lasting impact that bullying can have on individuals throughout their lives and prevention options.

Flagstaff Arts Council — Covid Reopening Pledge from the Creative Sector

Flagstaff art, science, faith, education, and culture organizations sign a pledge affirming their commitment to the health and safety of patrons, staff, visitors, and residents during the coronavirus pandemic. The pledge is a result of a taskforce spearheaded by leaders from Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, City of Flagstaff, Kinney Construction Services, and Flagstaff Arts Council. The pledge, an introductory video, and a list of supporting organizations is available here.

Bilingual report — District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — Coconino County Proclamation Requires Face Mask

Coconino County issued a proclamation last evening on June 19 requiring residents and visitors to wear a face covering when not able to physical distance themselves from other persons. The proclamation, effective on Saturday, June 20 at noon, applies to all private lands in the unincorporated areas of the County. The County proclamation does not affect areas within cities or towns in the County or on federal, state or tribal lands.

“Wearing a face covering when around others is one of the single most effective ways to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” said Coconino County Chairwoman Liz Archuleta. “Each of us can help to prevent COVID-19 transmission by wearing a face covering when we cannot physically distance from others. Please do your part and model best practices by putting on your face covering when you are out in public and around other people. This is one thing we can do to take care of ourselves and neighbors.”

Flagstaff holds virtual 65th Annual Juneteenth Community Celebration. See new video of past celebrations here

FLAGSTAFF — Nearly 100 people attended the Flagstaff’s historic Black Community’s 65th Annual Juneteenth Community Celebration on FACEBOOK LIVE! on Saturday, June 20. The event, hosted by Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans, Bernadine Lewis, Khara House, Ricardo Guthrie and Shawn Johnson, was presented by the Coconino County African American Council, in partnership with Flagstaff’s Southside Community Association.

A 20-minute Juneteenth video featuring highlights from past celebrations is available on the Coconino County YouTube page at https://youtu.be/8YMpOcSEjoo

City of Flagstaff announces new face covering requirements in public

The Flagstaff City Mayor, Coral Evans has updated the Emergency Proclamation issued March 16 to include the requirement to wear face coverings in public places where social distancing is not possible. This proclamation is effective starting June 20, 2020 at 8 p.m. and will continue until further notice, unless repealed or revised by the Mayor or authority is preempted by the Governor of the State of Arizona under paragraph 7 of his Executive Order 2020-40.

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — Happy Juneteenth!

Join in a virtual Juneteenth 2020 Celebration on Saturday, June 20th at 2pm hosted by the Southside Community Association and the Coconino County African-American Advisory Council. We may be physical distanced, but we are connected for equality, liberty and justice for all!

To learn more about this important holiday, click the video below.

Nine-week Internet-based Summer ’20 BBE business plan training (Session 2) to be held Aug. 4 through Sept. 29

Since 2007 Coconino County has been assisting eligible county residents with itsBasic Business Empowerment (BBE) training (www.coconino.az.gov/bbe) and Individual Development Accounts (IDA) match saving grants (www.coconino.az.gov/ida) opportunity. The 9-week, summer 2020 BBE training (session 2) is scheduled to be held 6-9pm, Tuesdays, Aug. 4th through Sept. 29thonly online via a 9-week Zoom Web-based video conferencing format. Coconino County currently contracts facilitation for its BBE training from the Coconino Small Business Development Center which provides additional resources for our BBE participants.

United Way of Northern Arizona — The ‘Land of Inopportunity’

A recent report from Save the Children further proves how location can profoundly affect a child’s prospects in this country, and why it is vital that we continue to Step Up for Our Youth in northern Arizona.

The report, called “The Land of Inopportunity,” is a part of the nonprofit’s annual evaluation of how children are faring around the globe. This year, however, Save the Children added a powerful tool that allows regions to see how they measure up – an online interactive map ranking U.S. counties by how well they prioritized and protect children.

The ranking is determined by four factors that “end” childhood: poor education, malnutrition, teenage pregnancy and early death due to ill health, accident, murder or suicide.

NAU News — With prestigious NSF fellowship, NAU grad student tackling the question of life on Mars by way of Antarctica

Doctoral student Schuyler Borges is leading a project studying hot springs structures in Antarctica, comparable to features on Mars, that may be evidence for life on the Red Planet since microorganisms facilitate the production of similar hot spring structures on Earth.

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — ADEQ Air Quality Meteorologists Launch First State Wildfire Smoke Forecast in the Nation

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today a new wildfire smoke forecast — the first state wildfire smoke forecast of its kind in the country — to provide Arizona communities with early and ongoing information about potential air quality impacts so they can make informed decisions for their health.

Designed to support, and in cooperation with U.S. Forest Service (USFS) wildfire air resource advisors and Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (AZDFFM) staff, ADEQ’s air quality meteorologists will provide a wildfire smoke forecast when Arizona wildfires have the potential for extended air quality impacts to communities as determined in coordination with federal and state land managers.

Sedona Arts Center — Studio Tour with Stuart Shils Friday, June 19, 2020

Join us on Facebook Friday, June 19th at 4:00pm for a free Studio Tour with Stuart Shils. He’ll be interviewed by Chuck Spence, Vice President of our Board of Directors. We will be looking at how Stuart’s work has evolved from the past into the present and discussing the unique content that he brings to his popular workshops. Stuart will be teaching a virtual workshop “Re-framing the Ordinary” July 17th and 18th. (see below under Online Classes)

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y presents free web resource — ‘Mindfulness for Professionals and Parents’

CCC&Y has created Mindfulness for Professionals and Parents, an hour-long free webinar that highlights the importance mindfulness holds for both individuals and for those we are working with. Participants said:

“I felt better immediately at the beginning of the training!”

“Mindfulness is an important part of daily operations! We need to remember to take time for ourselves. I love the acronyms and will share with my NAU students!!!!”

“I found the training to be very relevant at this time in our lives.”

CCC&Y has multiple reasons for focusing on mindfulness as a strategy in our community.  We know the benefits it has for overall mental and physical health.  We know that it is a useful strategy to help with both substance abuse prevention and child abuse prevention.  Further, as Ruth King notes,

“When we are unconscious of how we affect each other, we are more likely to cause harm.  However, when nonharming is at the forefront of our awareness, it becomes an anchor, a way of reminding us, moment to moment, to pay attention- to live mindfully.”

In an effort to address how we treat each other and ourselves we invite you to explore more on this topic.  Let’s all work toward healing together!

Flagstaff Convention & Visitor’s Bureau — Find virtual events with Flagstaff 365 Happenings

Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below are some highlights. For a complete printable pdf list of events click below.

Coconino County Parks & Recreation — Summer events, fire restrictions, and the Census connection

All playgrounds, basketball courts, ramadas (including picnic tables and barbecue grills), and restroom facilities managed by Coconino County Parks & Recreation remain closed at this time.

We encourage you to engage in responsible physical and social distancing when recreating outdoors. Parks, natural areas, and trails managed by Coconino County are open for public enjoyment; this excludes Louise Yellowman County Park.

First Things First Navajo Nation Regional Partnership Council to host a virtual forum on June 15

The First Things First Navajo Nation Regional Partnership Council will host a virtual forum, designed to give participants – especially parents and caregivers of young children – an opportunity to increase their awareness of relevant early childhood topics. A panel of experts will discuss parenting in the time of coronavirus and social distancing and cover the following topics:

• comfort during stressful times
• early childhood activities at home

AARP Hispanic Connection to present ‘Let’s Talk Salud, Dinero y Amor’ on June 13

We are getting closer to launching our Saturday morning conversation via FB live. The title will be: Let’s Talk Salud, Dinero y Amor, and we will test a bilingual approach. As of now, this talk will start at 7 am, and will feature community members, leaders, and experts. The graphic for this offering is not ready; do find attached those being used for the other three virtual offerings. Very much looking forward to this conversation. Participants will be able to engage by providing comments and questions. We are working on preparing a phone number for those who want to join by phone.  

Our radio show this week addressed Seguro Social: Jubilación Temprana (1). Don’t miss our new weekly series on nutrition and wellness.

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — Coconino County enacts Stage Two Fire Restrictions

In This Newsletter:

Quote of the Day
Coconino County enacts Stage Two Fire Restrictions
Take precautions to protect yourself from wildfire smoke
CCC to Host “Virtual” Fourth of July Parade
COVID-19 Daily Dashboard
New COVID-19 Weekly Report Available
AZDHS COVID-19 Website 
COVID-19 Testing Information
Don’t forget to fill out the 2020 Census!
Stay Connected with Us!

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — COVID-19 Testing Information

In This Newsletter:

Quote of the Day
County Officials Respond to the Death of George Floyd, Public Protests
COVID-19 Daily Dashboard
New COVID-19 Weekly Report Available
AZDHS COVID-19 Website 
COVID-19 Testing Information
Don’t forget to fill out the 2020 Census!
Stay Connected with Us!

June Update from Flagstaff Arts Council

Dear Supporter of Art, Science, and Culture, 
As you may know, funding for the arts in Arizona is in jeopardy. Without action, the Arizona Commission on the Arts will lose the majority of its funding this year. We are asking Governor Doug Ducey to allocate funding from the State’s CARES Act funding. The artists of Arizona are changemakers and the Commission has been doing amazing work over the past several years to advance cultural equity and to ensure that the voices of artists of color are supported. 
Our executive director sent the this letter to Governor Ducey in response to the defunding of Arizona Commission on the Arts and in support of Arizona Citizens for the Arts’ request to allocate money from the State’s CARES Act funding. 
We are also asking our supporters to take action to let Governor Ducey know Arizonans believe funding for the arts in Arizona is vital to our states well being. 

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — PBS Kids: Talking to Children Authentically About Race and Racism

In This Newsletter:

Quote of the Day
COVID-19 Daily Dashboard
New COVID-19 Weekly Report Available
AZDHS COVID-19 Website
PBS Kids: Talking to Children Authentically About Race and Racism
Don’t forget to fill out the 2020 Census!
Stay Connected with Us!

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Understanding through a multicultural lens the role historical trauma impacts healing, wellness

Historical trauma impacts so many of our community members and it is a topic that is not always openly discussed and well understood in mainstream society. Further, it is often not considered when designing helping programs, systems or overall prevention programming and worse when placing judgements against groups of people.

Each culture, each individual has their own story to tell, their own traditions, spiritual and cultural practices and so many have had those life components disrupted due to historical events and ongoing injustices.

During a webinar presentation held on June 9, 2020, culturalist and historic trauma specialist Iya Affo provided web viewers a brief overview of historic trauma to help inform community members, professionals and leaders about the creation and impacts of these traumas.

Affo is the founder of Heal Historic Trauma and with Phoenix Rising in Residence (AZ).

NAU News: COVID-19 special edition

President Cheng on returning to campus this fall

With the announcement of our early start on August 12, President Cheng makes a commitment to transparency and to continue moving NAU forward. Watch the full video online.

Flagstaff Convention & Visitor’s Bureau — This Week’s Virtual Highlights

This Week’s Virtual Highlights
Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below are some highlights. For a complete printable pdf list of events click below.

Sedona Arts Center — Studio Tour with Stuart Shils Friday, June 19, 2020

Join us on Facebook Friday, June 19th at 4:00pm for a free Studio Tour with Stuart Shils. He’ll be interviewed by Chuck Spence, Vice President of our Board of Directors. We will be looking at how Stuart’s work has evolved from the past into the present and discussing the unique content that he brings to his popular workshops. Stuart will be teaching a virtual workshop “Re-framing the Ordinary” July 17th and 18th. Watch for more information coming soon here and on our website.

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future — Special Edition: F3 on Racism and Our Community

Dear friends of Flagstaff’s future,

The work of Friends of Flagstaff’s Future is directed toward achieving a
“sustainable, just, and thriving community.” But until people of color, indigenous
people, and undocumented people in our community know they are safe,
protected, and valued, we will fall short of this goal.

The death of George Floyd makes it clear that it is not enough to condemn
racism. And it is not enough to condemn police violence and the many crushing
forms that discrimination takes. We must hold ourselves accountable for what
happens to people of color, native peoples, and undocumented people in our
community. And we must pay attention to all the ways in which discrimination has
taken hold and all the ways it plays out in the life of our community.

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future commits itself to participating in meaningful change
to dismantle racism in our community. As we monitor issues related to
development, planning, land and resource use, and the local economy, we will
listen closely to the guidance given by people of color, native peoples, and
members of our immigrant community. Now, more than ever, we will ensure that
justice and equity—and the dismantling of the legacy of racism and white
supremacy—is an orienting principle of our organization.

Racism is a pandemic. Each of us can be an antidote, counteracting the poison
of racism. True sustainability and community vitality depend on it.

Let’s create the change we want to be and push for better conditions for all!
The Board of Friends of Flagstaff’s Future

President’s Letter to CCC Community

For many of us, COVID-19 has intensely altered and distorted our lives in contrast to our usual safety net of how we view and live in this world.  Besides the terrible impact of this illness on friends and loved ones, the loss of income and constant worry about today, tomorrow, and the future keeps many people frozen in time.  Without the emotional and financial support to move forward and make decisions about life, this fear of the unknown is causing anxiety to a level never before experienced by many people. 
 
And yet, as I watch the civil unrest continuing to grow throughout our nation, I am sadly reminded once again of how many of our friends and neighbors (close by, throughout the nation, and throughout the world) have always lived with and continue to live with fear of the unknown.  Now, more than ever, that sense of community that is at the heart of the community college mission is important for students, co-workers, friends and neighbors throughout our great country.  It is through community that we listen, learn, and seek to understand.  It is through community that we demonstrate our support and care for others.  And it is through community that we can overcome those fears and accomplish our dreams for a vibrant future.

LAUNCH Flagstaff — Achieving equity in education and our society

The mission of LAUNCH Flagstaff is to advance equitable access to world-class education for every child in Flagstaff.  By definition, equity is the state of being just and fair and it is the context through which the partners of LAUNCH Flagstaff take their collaborative action.  This is easier said than done, because achieving equity often requires the non-equal distribution of resources

The truth is that to be successful in achieving equity in education, we will have to make significant progress in undoing the historical injustices and ongoing inequities imposed on Indigenous, Black, and Latino peoples by White people through the colonization of this land.
 
Current events have once again brought America’s history of racism and state-sanctioned violence against people of color to the surface.  We have an opportunity to collectively examine our personal and institutional beliefs, practices and policies, questioning their origin and their validity.

NAU News — NAU pathogen scientist collaborating on vaccine that could prevent, treat COVID-19

NAU pathogen scientist collaborating on vaccine that could prevent, treat COVID-19
C. Todd French, assistant professor of biology and leader of NAU’s COVID-19 Testing Service Center, is studying a vault-based coronavirus vaccine that could represent a step toward blocking the outbreak of a similar virus in the future