Bishop Gerald Kicanas will be our 25th Anniversary Master of Ceremonies! Bishop Kicanas arrived in Tucson in 2001. He has been a strong supporter of PCIC since his arrival. As rector of Mundelein Seminary in Chicago he attended IAF 10-day Leadership Training.

We are proud to have Lisa Lovallo, VP of Cox Communications co-hosting our 25th Anniversary Celebration! Ms. Lovallo, also Board Chair of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, will soon be SALC's first Woman President. She and Cox have been strong supporters of PCIC's work for many years. She has committed Cox to a $5,000 matching challenge grant for PCIC’s 25th Anniversary.

Entre Peruanos, the Andean Folklore group, has been playing music in Tucson and Southern Arizona for over 6 years.  They have played various concerts at Tucson Meet Yourself, folk festivals, schools, restaurants, fundraisers and private parties.  The group is made up of Miguel Molina, Jesus Garcia, Dago Esquer, Tshilo Galup, Robert Ojeda, y Jimmy Ojeda.  They hail from Peru, Columbia and Mexico and they play music from the Andes and all over Latin America, using varied instruments, such as the charango, zampoňa, quena, guitar, ronroco, bombo, cajón, guiro and chachas. Their songs are in Spanish and Quechua, the language of the Incas.

Last week PCIC and the Arizona Interfaith Network gathered 85 interfaith clergy and lay leaders, including 3 bishops to discuss comprehensive immigration reform.  As an outcome of our Casa Grande session we’ve committed to doing meetings with all our Senators and Congressional Representatives to push them to the negotiating table.  As Bishop Gerald Kicanas said last week, this is a pivotal moment; we need to find allies and work together to not let the opportunity slip away.  Please contact your senators and rep. to add your voice.

PCIC and the AIN network has also been going to the legislature weekly to push for Medicaid expansion and increased education funding.  There is a real chance of a bi-partisan agreement on Medicaid if we continue to push.  Please contact your state senator and state representatives.

Next Wednesday, Feb. 27th, a delegation from PCIC will be speaking at the Pima Community College’s Board of Governor’s meeting to encourage them to vote to give all DACA students (Dreamers) a discount (state tuition rather than high international student tuition) to study at Pima.  Many of these students graduated from our high schools, applied for DACA at PCIC workshops, and just want a chance to study and become successful citizens some day.  Join us at 7:00 pm at the Pima College Liberty/El Pueblo Learning Center (that PCIC fought to build years ago) located at 101 W. Irvington for the PCC vote!

And please check out our attached calendar for health care academies, education, immigration, green team and other meetings and events.