Xicana Literary Icon Cherríe Moraga to Speak at Pima Community College Scholarship Event
The event, themed “¡Sí Se Puede! Investing in the Next Generation,” will take place April 30, 2026
TUCSON, AZ. Pima Community College will welcome world-renowned poet, playwright, and activist Cherríe Moraga as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Raquel Rubio Goldsmith Lecture in Ethnic, Gender and Transborder Studies.
The event, themed “¡Sí Se Puede! Investing in the Next Generation,” will take place April 30, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Tucson Marriott University Park. The luncheon and lecture will raise scholarship funds to support students in PCC’s Department of Ethnic, Gender, Transborder Studies & Sociology (EGTSS), many of whom are first-generation college students overcoming financial barriers to higher education. Funds raised will support scholarships covering tuition, books, and emergency needs for students who have completed at least one course in Ethnic, Gender, Transborder Studies or Sociology.
Moraga, co-editor of the landmark anthology This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, has spent over four decades at the forefront of social justice, feminism, and Chicana literature. Her work has helped shape national conversations around identity, equity, and activism.
“Hosting Cherríe Moraga is not just an event; it is an opportunity to engage with a literary visionary whose work continues to inspire movements for justice and equity,” said Dr. Francisca James Hernández, EGTSS Department Head and faculty member at Pima Community College. “By bringing her to Tucson, we are connecting our students and community with a powerful voice that reflects the very issues explored in our classrooms.”
Members of the PCC Ethnic, Gender and Transborder Studies Student Club say the event represents both inspiration and opportunity.
“The PCC EGTS Student Club members, including our President and Co-Founder Jaymes Grace, are honored to be part of the Raquel Rubio Goldsmith Lecture and Scholarship Fundraiser Luncheon,” said EGTS Treasurer Dee Fife. “Cherríe Moraga is a literary icon whose work amplifies the voices of marginalized communities. We hope Tucsonans will rally to support student scholarships that help PCC students continue their education and make a difference in their communities.”
The event will feature a formal luncheon followed by Moraga’s keynote address, “Coyolxauhqui Remembered: Toward the Rebirth of the Xicanx/e Movement: ‘She who makes noise emerges from silence,’” honoring the courage and vision of Dolores Huerta and other changemakers.
The Department of Ethnic, Gender, Transborder Studies & Sociology (EGTSS) at PCC is unique in its focus on the complex social fabric of the Arizona-Sonora border region. The scholarships aim to ensure that economic hardship does not prevent talented students from completing their education and serving their communities.
Event Highlights
- What: Cherríe Moraga will speak on the power of voice, community, and resilience in the borderlands.
- When: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. April 30, 2026,
- Where: Tucson Marriott University Park
880 E. 2nd Street. Tucson, AZ 85719
Contact:
Justin Kree
Director Media Relations
520-710-7170 (cell)
jkree@pima.edu