
Celebrate Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead on Nov. 1, 2

Celebraciones de la Gente, the annual Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead celebration, returned to the Museum of Northern Arizona on Oct. 23-24 with an appreciative crowd who strolled around the historic Jaime Golightly Courtyard to view family ofrendas / altars, view workshops on creating ofrendas, a presentation honoring the more than 400 people who died due to COVID-19 in Coconino County, dance performances by Ballet Folklorico de Colores — Flagstaff and music by Mariachi Tradición de México from Tucson and Los Alambrados Flagstaff.
The 18th annual event, which was hosted by the Museum of Northern Arizona, in partnership with Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, was presented virtually in 2020 due the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton in the West
Oct. 30, 1 pm
Attend in person at MNA, or watch on Facebook
Alan Peterson, MNA’s Fine Art Curator, will discuss Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton’s early life and education in Philadelphia, her first trips to the West as a young artist, how she met Harold Colton, their honeymoon trip, and their subsequent trips to Flagstaff before moving here in 1926.

Friday, October 29
Awards Night and Party! 5-8pm
Held at Sedona Arts Center’s Special Exhibition Gallery and Theatre Studio in the Historic Art Barn. Fine wine, fine hors d’oeuvres and fine art. This is the big event! Artist’s awards are presented throughout the evening recognizing the best work created during the week including Best of Show and merit awards by Festival Judge Michele Usibelli, Artist’s Choice Award, Collectors Choice by ballot and Sedona Arts Center Awards.

On Monday, November 1, Coconino County Health and Human services will be holding two COVID-19 and flu vaccine events in the community. Similar to previous events, no registration is required ahead of time.
Tusayan (behind the IMAX Theater) from 12:00 p.m.-2 p.m. (flyer here)
Grand Canyon Recreation Center Ramada from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. (full flyer here)

Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth (www.coconinokids.org) is working hard to better understand root causes of trauma and promoting tools for resiliency. We know that social connection is a key protective factor for both youth and families.
During Covid, we began a virtual youth open mic. The purpose is to provide a safe space for youth to express themselves through music, art, poetry, theater, dance, photography, or cultural sharing. The event takes place the first Sunday of each month at 4pm. The next event is scheduled for Sunday November 7th.
We realize many of our community’s youth may be “Zoomed out”. So, we are also looking for youth voice to brainstorm suggestions for community-based youth connection opportunities. We would appreciate you asking the youth you serve, “What youth events would you like to see in your community?” We are also available to speak with your youth group to facilitate that conversation.

The land of Coconino County is rich in geological stories and steeped in a sacred importance to all of us who live here. Coconino Community College is located in the middle of the land’s magnificence. More than 20 percent of our students at the college are Native American, and because CCC is dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive learning environment, the perspective of our Native American students is vitally important to our identity. To that end, when students from the college’s Indigenous Student Association developed a Land Acknowledgement Statement, the college community acted universally to make it a part of CCC’s culture.

COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth has created a series of no cost webinars for professionals, parents and youth, to provide them skills that are needed now more than ever.
Our hour-long webinar on Igniting Collective Action: Moving Beyond ACEs explores the roadmap to creating change at the community and system level by using the findings of both leadership research and today’s thought leaders. One participant said:
“This training was truly amazing and can be used no matter your walk in life … I hope that everyone and anyone takes advantage of this presentation. It really can make a difference.”
(*Recommended prerequisite for Igniting Collective Action: Moving Beyond ACEs webinar in particular, but also for other trainings, is Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences: Hope in Resiliency)

Sedona Arts Center invites you along to be inspired and experience master artists painting in the Shangri-La of the Southwest! Sedona is a sublime and stunningly beautiful environment steeped in art history. Sedona Arts Center dates back 63 years to the founding of Sedona’s identity as an ‘art colony.’ Our community’s iconic and wonderfully creative event—Sedona Plein Air Festival—is a week-long celebration of extraordinary landscapes, world-renowned artists, unique workshops, and wonderful free events from October 23 through 30!

In the 8th edition of our Consular Newsletter on Economic and Tourism Affairs, we celebrate
Mexico’s fight for independence and its exciting future as the 2021 Hispanic
Heritage Month ends on Oct. 15.
In #ChooseMexico, we learn what we
already knew in our hearts: Everyone loves Mexican food. We also see a bright
future, as Hispanic buying power continues to increase and more and more of our
young people are getting college degrees. In addition, we learn that there has been an increase
in the number of both large and small Mexican companies expanding into Arizona, thanks to the welcoming business environment. In this newsletter, you also will meet three successful Mexican citizens working in Arizona––and our Faces of Mexico in Arizona webinar (in Spanish) will introduce you to a few more.

With nearly 100 free and exciting events this year in the Festival of Science, it can be hard to make it to all of the ones you want to go to! But, don’t let this stop you from engaging in the Flagstaff science community all year round, and catching up on the events you missed.
The Flagstaff Festival of Science has a YouTube Channel!

Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces celebrates the in-person return of Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead when the 18th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente is presented at the Museum of Northern Arizona on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 23 and 24.
Celebrate the history and culture of Mexican, Mexican American and Latin@ communities in Northern Arizona at this annual fall event, which will include music, dance, food and heartfelt remembrances.
In partnership with Flagstaff’s Nuestras Raíces, the museum’s Jaime Golightly Courtyard will be transformed into a beautiful lit setting, with intricately cut papel picado (pierced paper) and lovely arrange ofrendas (altars) to welcome past loved ones to the party.

Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, will be honored during the game
Northern Arizona University is excited to celebrate its Hispanic Heritage Game as Lumberjack Football takes on Southern Utah.
When: October 16th, 2021
Game Time: 1 P.M.
Where: Walkup Skydome
During the game, NAU will honor the Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) for its 20 years of service to the local community. Stop by the CHAC tent for more information on the organization during the tailgate party from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

As Coconino County Diversity Team continue to celebrate, learn, share, and create awareness during Hispanic Heritage Month, welcome to Week 4!! Please share with your departments, social media networks, family, and friends as we come together to Engage, Celebrate, Reflect, Embrace, our Cultural Differences while Empowering each other.
Events include: CHAC NAU Tailgate Event, 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 16.

Federal Workforce Vaccination for NPS Employees
As a reminder, November 22 is the deadline for federal employees to be fully vaccinated.
To meet the November 22 deadline, NPS employees must receive their first dose by October 11 if getting the Moderna vaccine or October 18 if getting the Pfizer vaccine
November 8 is the deadline for the second dose of both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, and for receiving the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine
By November 22, all federal employees must be fully vaccinated or actively working with their supervisor and HR on a reasonable accommodation request. More information can be found on the vaccine FAQ page on the Safer Federal Workforce website.

The age-old question of ‘are we alone?’ is a compelling one, and third-year doctoral student Amber Young is committed to finding an answer. She is looking for life on other planets, and now NASA is helping her out. The Department of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences student recently recieved a grant to analyze chemical components and specific biosignatures from exoplanets that could show potential signs of life. As part of the grant, she will work with NASA team members on the LUVOIR Mission to build computer modeling tools that will allow her to examine which observational scenarios are ideal for detecting and interpreting biosignatures.

Creative Flagstaff is happy to announce that Arizona Pitch Night winner Michelle Meyer has installed her winner piece, Retro Maven, in downtown Flagstaff! You can find Retro Maven at 2 S Beaver St #100. A huge thank you to Sunshine Rescue Mission for hosting Retro Maven in front of their Thrift for Goodness Sake store.

As Coconino County Diversity Team continue to celebrate, learn, share, and create awareness during Hispanic Heritage Month, welcome to Week 4!! Please share with your departments, social media networks, family, and friends as we come together to Engage, Celebrate, Reflect, Embrace, our Cultural Differences while Empowering each other.
Events include: “Halloween vs. Día de los Muertos” at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8 and “Story Time” at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 9.

After celebrating virtually last year, the NAU community is invited to come together in person to celebrate the university’s 122 years of academic excellence and show off their Lumberjack pride during this year’s Homecoming week beginning Monday, Oct. 11. Events include Make it Monday, Traditions Day pep rally, bonfire and chili cook-off, a carnival sponsored by ASNAU, the Homecoming Parade and more.

A COVID and flu shot vaccination event will be held next Monday, October 4th from 3-5 p.m. at the Grand Canyon Rec Center Ramada. If there is inclement weather, the event will be held inside the Rec Center in the Piano Room. Please bring your vaccination card if you are seeking a second or third dose of the COVID vaccine. More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer.
A follow-up vaccination event will be held on Monday, November 1, for those individuals getting their first shot at the October vaccination event who need a second shot for full vaccination. The November 1 vaccination event will also take place from 3-5 p.m. at the Rec Center.
There are no updates on a North Rim vaccination event at this time.

It’s officially time for one of Flagstaff’s favorite events; the Flagstaff Oktoberfest!
After having to cancel in 2020, The Flagstaff Oktoberfest, will celebrate 12 years on Saturday October 2nd in Wheeler Park, in Downtown Flagstaff.
But the fun doesn’t end with music, food and drinks. As always, we will have all our favorite contests during this event, such as the Hops on Birch Men’s and Women’s Beer Stein Holding Contest, The Frozen T-Shirt Contest, The Vienna Beef Weiner Man Race and Satchmo’s BBQ Brat Eating Contest!

The Sunnyside Neighborhood Association will host 18th annual “Fiesta de Independencia” from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19 at the Market of Dreams / Mercado de los Sueños, 2532 E. 7th Ave., Flagstaff.
FREE EVENT! Featuring live music from Los Alambrados, Alena Chavez, and DJ Classik! There will be a piñata for the kids. Come and celebrate Independence! There will be food for purchase at the event.
The Mexican Consulate of Phoenix, AZ will perform the historic “El Grito” at 4:30 p.m.
People who have not been vaccinated are asked to wear masks. Masking in general is encouraged and supported. Social distancing encouraged. Please bring your own chair!

You’ve likely seen them soaring high above canyons and perching in tall pine trees, and now, majestic birds of prey like the Harris Hawk, American Kestrel and Ferruginous Hawk will share Wheeler Park with families as the International Raptor and Falcon Center introduces learners of all ages to these predators of the sky.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 18, Science in the Park will feature live animals, microscopic organisms and prehistoric cultures.
Join us at Wheeler Park!
Build a Puebloan wall, create pictographs, play catch with a robot and safely view the sun!
Explore life-saving medical devices with innovators and engineers under the W. L. Gore & Associates tents and maybe even be a heart surgeon for the day!
And, don’t miss the talented athletes from Momentum Aerial as they leap and spin above the ground! Watch these artists demonstrate the laws of physics that keep them up in the air and their audiences on their toes!

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the culture and contributions of Americans tracing their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean. The observance was born in 1968 when Congress authorized the president to issue an annual proclamation designating National Hispanic Heritage Week. Two decades later, lawmakers expanded it to a monthlong celebration, stretching from September 15 to October 15.
Hispanic Heritage Month — like its shorter precursor — always starts on September 15, a historically significant day marking the independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The designated period is also a nod to those from Mexico and Chile, which celebrate their independence September 16 and September 18, respectively.

On September 9, President Biden issued new Federal COVID vaccine guidance by Executive Order. While we don’t yet know the specifics of implementation, we do know that all federal employees, contractors and partners will be required to be vaccinated. According to the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, “Federal Executive Branch employees must be fully vaccinated, except in limited circumstances where an employee is legally entitled to a reasonable accommodation. Agencies must work expeditiously so that their employees are fully vaccinated as quickly as possible and by no later than November 22, 2021.” The full document can be viewed here.
The purpose of this and related orders are to protect the American public, since COVID-19 continues to be spread in the US primarily by unvaccinated people, and because unfortunately, not enough people have been vaccinated to generate herd immunity to prevent the virus from mutating into new and more dangerous variants such as the Delta variant.
Specific guidance will be coming out soon on implementation of the vaccination requirement.

It’s officially time for one of Flagstaff’s favorite events; the Flagstaff Oktoberfest!
After having to cancel in 2020, The Flagstaff Oktoberfest, will celebrate 12 years on Saturday October 2nd in Wheeler Park, in Downtown Flagstaff.
But the fun doesn’t end with music, food and drinks. As always, we will have all our favorite contests during this event, such as the Hops on Birch Men’s and Women’s Beer Stein Holding Contest, The Frozen T-Shirt Contest, The Vienna Beef Weiner Man Race and Satchmo’s BBQ Brat Eating Contest!

CCC&Y will present “The Science of Childhood Trauma and Why We Should Care” at 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24 at the 2021 Flagstaff Festival of Science.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have a large and costly impact on society. Fortunately, with all that we know about trauma and resilience, including the 50-year longitudinal study in Kuai and the groundbreaking ACEs study, we know there is much we can all do. Community awareness and knowledge are important to begin healing.
Join us for this Flagstaff Festival of Science event Sponsored by the Coalition for Children & Youth.
Trainer: Virginia Watahomigie, M.ADM Executive Director of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth.

Flagstaff Festival of Science
Friday 17 Plein Air Demonstration at Buffalo Park. 4 p.m.; free.
Friday 17 Stories in Stone with Dr Awe, Ardrey Auditorium. 7 p.m.; free.
Saturday 18 Plein Air Demonstration at Wheeler Park. 10 a.m.; free.
Saturday 18 Snook’s Science in the Park, Wheeler Park. 10 a.m.; free.
Sunday 19 Cultural Cooking Workshop. 1 p.m.; free.
Sunday 19 The State of the Climate. Virtual event. 3 p.m.; free.
Monday-Wednesday 20-22 Bedtime Stories. Virtual event. 7 p.m.; free.
Tuesday 21 Cloud Walk in Buffalo Park. 2 p.m.; free.
Tuesday 21 Intersectional Struggles and Maya Identity Among Western Honduras Indigenous Communities. 5 p.m.; free.
Learn More

“The overall goal I have for celebrating Hispanic, Latina/o/x Heritage Month on campus is for students who identify that way to know they have a community of support here at NAU,” Vidal Mendoza, assistant director of Hispanic, Latina/o/x Initiatives, said. “Cultural representation is something I valued as an NAU student, and I am sure many students today still feel the same.” Image courtesy of the National Archives.

The Coconino County Diversity Team, Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) and partners recognize Hispanic Heritage Month with a series of programs designed to educate, share and create awareness.
Please join us, and share with your departments, social media networks, family and friends, as we come together to Engage, Celebrate, Reflect,Embrace, our Cultural Differences while Empowering each other.

Beginning Sept. 15, Northern Arizona University is celebrating Hispanic, Latina/o/x Heritage Month with a collection of events hosted by NAU’s Office of Inclusion. Through these events, NAU strives to honor the culture, history and diversity of individuals in the Latina/x/o community.
Hispanic, Latina/x/o Heritage Month was first celebrated in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week and was later expanded to cover a full month, lasting until Oct. 15, in 1988.
“The most important thing to me about Hispanic, Latina/o/x Heritage Month is recognizing the contributions of my history, culture and achievements that we have brought to this country,” said Vidal Mendoza, assistant director of Hispanic, Latina/o/x Initiatives at NAU. “As a Latina, staying connected with my roots is a huge part of my identity that I own with pride. Unfortunately, identifying as Hispanic or Latina/o/x isn’t necessarily looked upon with a smile or admiration. But even so, I am proud of identifying as a Latina, Mexicana or Chicana. I love my brown skin, rich culture and community. The diversity within our people is so vastly different and beautiful all at once.”

National Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off next week
September 15 to October 15 is celebrated nationwide as National Hispanic Heritage Month. It traditionally honors the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans as we celebrate heritage rooted in all Latin American countries. During this month and throughout the year, we, and our partners, share history, heritage, and accomplishments of Hispanic and Latino Americans of past and present. More information can be found here:
Hispanic Heritage Month – NPS Celebrates! (U.S. National Park Service)

FLAGSTAFF — From “En Plein Air in Flagstaff’s Open Spaces: Stories in Stone,” at Buffalo Park on Sept. 17, to the return of the “Science in the Park” on Sept. 18 and the “Flagstaff Star Party” at Buffalo Park on Sept. 30, the 2021 Flagstaff Festival of Science (Sept. 17-26) provides families with a variety of events to choose from.
Click here to view the entire 2021 Flagstaff Festival of Science Passport schedule.
The festival kicks off with the 2021 Keynote presentation — “When Stones Speak: Decoding the Messages Embedded in Ancient Maya Monuments” with Dr. Jaime Awe at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17. Doors open at 6 p.m.
During the presentation, Dr. Awe will illuminate the Maya culture for audiences at Ardrey Auditorium, Northern Arizona University.
Full program of events to include Science in the Park, presentations, workshops, guided tours all taking place Sept. 17-26. With many programs led by outstanding Flagstaff scientists, Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to learn about other ancient cultures in this year’s archeological-themed festival.

Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces honored the region’s Hispanic roots by celebrating the return of the sixth annual “Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada — Mariachi and Folklorico Festival” on Saturday, Aug. 21 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church south of downtown Flagstaff
The free event drew a record crowd, according to event organizers, with the entertainment stage featuring Mariachi Herencia de Cuco Del Cid and Nueva Vibra, both from Tucson, Ballet Folklorico de Colores and Alena Chavez from Flagstaff.

GCC Celebration of Art Kicks off in September
The 13th annual Celebration of Art kicks off this month at Grand Canyon. Beginning September 11th, artists will be coming to the South Rim to paint outside on location for one week. During this time, the public will be able to view the artists as they paint, capturing the ever-changing light and shadows of the canyon.
This year’s event will be a hybrid of on-site and online programming to welcome a wide variety of art enthusiasts. Here is the current schedule of events.
Now through September 18: Interested people can view the online catalog and preview studio paintings. Studio painting intent-to-purchase request forms are available to submit online, and are linked from each painting in the catalog.
September 3-18: There will be an online silent auction featuring specially selected original pieces from each participating artist.
September 11-17: Artists will be painting “en plein air” (or, outside on location) throughout the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
September 17: A featured artist will paint outside near Verkamp’s Visitor Center from 3 – 6 p.m.

Visit our website to sign up for programs that include: A) advance registrations for webinars and B) ticketed in-person programs that have a maximum number of guests!
By pre-registering for the webinars, you ensure you get a spot and can add the program to your calendar! You can also interact with the presenter and ask questions when you’ve pre-registered.
Several in-person programs have limited capacity and will require advance registration. Check the digital passport for programs that require reservations.
Please Note: The capacity for our keynote event has been reduced to allow for social distancing. Pre-registration is required for this event.

The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth continues our monthly youth arts showcase. Do you know a youth that loves music, art, poetry, or any form of self-expression? On the first Sunday of each month (next of Sept. 5) at 4 pm, youth from across Coconino County are welcomed into a virtual circle to EXPRESS THEMSELVES!
We began this opportunity to ensure youth were given a platform to share their thoughts, feelings, and talents while connecting to others.

As August winds down and we settle into new routines, we’re embracing the cooler mornings and evenings, and celebrating summer’s last long weekend, Labor Day. We hope that you and your family have plans to enjoy some time off, or to spend some time outdoors!
During August, our team took our second summer break to recharge ahead of what we’re expecting to be a busy fall season. We’re keeping a close eye on what’s happening in Congress while we continue to advocate for important investments to be part of the final budget reconciliation bill– these are long-term investments that will protect our nation’s public lands and waters for generations to come, create jobs, and advance environmental justice. Learn about the budget reconciliation process in our breakdown blog that will explain them and how you can help make sure your representatives know why this is so important!

Visit the March On for Voting Rights Flagstaff page on Facebook.
Hundreds of thousands to rally across the country to protest a wave of voter suppression laws sweeping the nation. The events also kick off a national online drive to register 2 million voters.
Arizona civil rights leader Pastor Warren Stewart, Sr., who helped create a MLK Holiday in Arizona, slated to appear at Saturday event
Newly appointed AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler to deliver keynote. Shuler made history last week becoming the first female president of one of the nation’s most powerful labor unions.

This is a golden time in Flagstaff, with fields of sunflowers blooming and everything lush from the monsoon. It’s a reminder that even in the midst of extended drought, life-giving rains can come to see us through.
As a nonprofit museum, we face a drought in our finances as well. Though we’ve reopened to six days a week, visitor numbers are not rebounding to anywhere near pre-pandemic numbers. Admissions revenue cannot come near to making up for what Covid has cost us. We had planned to hold our annual fundraising Gala dinner this weekend, but Covid has again made it unwise to ask people to gather together for a meal.
Drawing on our experience of navigating unexpected challenges this past year, we have shifted gears and brought the fundraising auction online. With more than 100 items in a range of prices, from vintage baskets to paintings by Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, Merrill Mahaffey, Michelle Condrat, and more. Go to event.gives/MNA to browse the auction and encourage your family and friends to do the same. I am grateful to our gala sponsors and auction donors for their generous support.
If we don’t see you Saturday at the Member Appreciation Day, we do hope to see you here soon.
Thank you for your support of MNA.

After a summer filled with research, designing and creating, the NAU Communications team is excited to unveil The NAU Review. This refreshed newsletter will continue to feature the research, programs and departments of the university while highlighting the voices of NAU through a fun, easily digestible tone and engaging multimedia, including more videos and photos. Expect The NAU Review in your inbox on Tuesday and Thursday.

On Aug. 26, 1991, Coconino Community College opened its doors on Fourth Street in Flagstaff to serve students in Coconino County by offering local, affordable, quality education.
This year, events are planned across the county to celebrate CCC putting students first for the last 30 years.
Where and when?
To kick off a year of fun and celebration, CCC will be having birthday parties at all three locations in the county: