The seventh annual Latinas Juntas was held in the Loker Student Union at California State University, Dominguez Hills on Oct. 30. This year’s theme, “Wise Latinas” was inspired by the story of Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Dr. Monica Rosas-Baines, a psychologist in the Office of Student Development, said that this year’s theme was chosen to highlight the potential in the students and encourage their inner worth.

Whether nude or fully cloaked, the human figure can demonstrate great power. Two contemporary artists, Tiiu Ashcraft and Russell McMillin, use drawings and sculpture to explore the interfusion of physical and psychological strength in the figure. Twenty powerful ceramic female torsos by McMillin and five giant and dramatic charcoal/mixed media drawings of the male and female figure by Ashcraft will be exhibited at the University Art Gallery, California State University, Dominguez Hills from Nov. 12 to Dec. 10, 2009.

Ana Pitchon, assistant professor of anthropology, has received a SEA Grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with colleagues Carlos G. García-Quijano and John J. Poggie from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Rhode Island. Their project, “The Coast's Bailout: Coastal Resource Use, Quality of Life and Resilience in Puerto Rico” will focus on small-scale fishing industries on the island and their potential to fare better in difficult economic times.