As part of Archives Week in New York City, Hostos Community College Archivist and Assistant Professor William Casari will speak on October 7 at the New York City Department of Records and later in the week on October 11 he will speak at the Museum of Bronx History as part of the Bronx County Historical Society’s “Cultural Bridges” series.  
 
“The spirit of Hostos Community College that has endured since 1970 never fails to amaze me. The College opened in a renovated warehouse with only a 10- year-lease.  From that moment on, the College’s first decade would be defined by a struggle for permanent space, resistance to closure due to a fiscal crisis, and constant pressure for political recognition in the community,” said Casari. “The first 10 years proved incredibly difficult but that spirit of struggle and perseverance cemented the College’s future on the Grand Concourse.”
 
His first presentation titled “Hostos Community College: Its Unique History and Place in the South Bronx Community since 1968,” is being presented along with “The Last County: The Bronx 1914-2014, an exhibit showcasing one hundred years of Bronx history that includes photographs from the Hostos Archives.
 
For the Cultural Bridges series, which focuses on the individuals and organizations that have made important contributions to the borough, Casari’s talk will center on the unique legacy of Eugenio María de Hostos Community College and its place in Bronx history.
 
The Cultural Bridges events will focus on African-American women and Hispanic heritage as well as highlight famous Americans and Bronxites through exhibitions showcasing their accomplishments in both the sciences and in the humanities.
 
Archives Week
William Casari’s presentation for the Archivist Round Table of Metropolitan New York’s Archivist Week will take place at the New York City Department of Records in the former Surrogate’s Court building, just across from City Hall Park behind City Hall.  Doors open at 4:00 p.m. and Casari’s talk is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.
 
Please RSVP by October 6th via email to: visitorcenter@records.nyc.gov or by calling: 212-788-8609
 
For a complete list of Archives Week activities, click here.
 
Bronx County Historical Society’s “Cultural Bridges”
The event on Saturday, October 11 will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
 
For more information or to support these dynamic events, please contact Dimitris Raptopoulos, Director of Operations and Development at the Bronx Historical Society at: (718) 881-8900 ext. 107 or via email at: Dimitris@bronxhistoricalsociety.org.
 
The Museum of Bronx History is located at 3266 Bainbridge Avenue, The Bronx, New York. This event is being held in collaboration with Open House New York (OHNY).

About Hostos Community College
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. It serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique "Student Success Coaching Unit" provides students with individualized guidance and exemplifies its emphasis on student support services.  

Recently named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Hostos offers 27 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 480,000 students at 24 colleges.