(Image | Courtesy of COCC)
The story of how an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador ultimately became an Oregon judge is the inspiration for Judge Torres, a bilingual play showing at Central Oregon Community College (COCC) at 6pm on Thursday, May 16, in Pioneer Hall’s Hitchcock Auditorium. Tickets are $10, available at cocc.edu/mcc-events.
Xiomara Torres arrived undocumented in the U.S. at age nine. A child abuse survivor who was raised in foster care, Torres overcame much adversity to become a circuit judge for Multnomah County. Her life story moved Salvadoran playwright Milta Ortiz to develop the play, who brings her own immigrant experiences and Mayan folktales into the work. Players from Teatro Milagro, a Portland-based Latino theater group, will stage the production at COCC as well as another production at Redmond High School’s auditorium (Wednesday, May 15, at 7pm).
Also on May 16, Teatro Milagro is hosting two free, bilingual arts-integrated community workshops at COCC-Bend (2-3pm) and OSU-Cascades (12-1:30pm) to address bullying and isolation by using themes of identity and community support. To participate in the COCC workshop, call Evelia Sandoval at 541-318-3726; for the OSU-Cascades workshop, call Erin Rook at 541-322-2044.
In advance of college events, persons needing accommodation or transportation because of a physical or mobility disability, contact Joe Viola: 541-383-7775. For accommodation because of other disability, such as hearing impairment, contact the Office of Disability Services: 541-383-7743.