2026 Events

Latin America Cultural Festival

Heartland Community College is hosting the 4th annual Cultural Festival in the Workforce Development Center (WDC), focused this year on Latin America. 

The festival will feature lectures and demonstrations of traditional arts and crafts, including photography, dance, and dolls etc. 

Events include:

These events are free to attend and are open to the community.

Speaker Biographies

• Cindy Alcazar: 

• Cindy Alcazar is a correspondent for the NPR affiliate network WGLT in Central Illinois. She is the host of the first Spanish news podcast in McLean County: "Noticias en Resumen de Bloomington-Normal." A passion for journalism was ignited during her ime as news editor for the student-led publication Diversity. She credits her training at Wilbur Wright Community College in Chicago for developing her 'knack' for story-spotting. Her career as a writer is a testament to the fact that great stories flourish from small beginnings.
  

• Yolanda Alonso:

• Yolanda is a Mexican mother and a journalist. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications and Journalism and a Master's degree in Administration and Management. Before immigrating to the United States, she worked as a journalist in Mexico for 11 years, where she was a reporter, photographer, co-editor, editor and editor-in-chief for a publishing company that publishes newspapers and magazines. She taught about her journalism experience at two universities in Durango, Mexico. She taught at Universidad La Salle Laguna (ULSA) and Universidad Autónoma de Durango for three years. 

  Together with her sister, Viridiana Alonso, she is the co-owner of the boutique Amelia Torreón and the mobile boutique Amelia Fashion Truck, both of which have been operating in Mexico since 2017.
  
  Yolanda Alonso is also the creator of the blog Latinos en BloNo. Latinos en BloNo was born in April 2022 with the idea of being a bridge for the Latino community of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, and a digital tool to help overcome the culture shock of living in a place with a different language and culture.

• Yulia Barrera:

• “Rhythm as the Language of the Soul and Resilience” Proudly Colombian, Yulia Andrea Barrera S. is a dance enthusiast and a scholar of the human experience. Co-author of the book “Being a Unique and Living Human in the Management of Emotions” (under the pseudonym GaBa), Yulia has dedicated her path to understanding how bodily movement serves as the most sincere and resilient language of the human being.

  As a migrant woman, Yulia is convinced that the body is the only territory we always carry with us. In her classes, dance is transformed into a living therapy: a space where the beat of the drums marks our vital pulse, while the lament of the gaitas (traditional flutes) tells us stories of freedom and perseverance. With the shimmer of the maracas and the joy of the accordion, Yulia invites attendees of Latin Week at Heartland Community College to a ritual of connection and healing.

  Dancing cumbia with Yulia is more than just learning steps; it is a journey to the roots of Colombia and an encounter with that "Unique Being" we all carry within. Come feel the call of the drum and allow your emotions to find their own dance!

• Marianela Diaz: 

• Marianela Diaz is a psychologist from Venezuela, with a Master in Human Resources. She works as the bilingual family coordinator at a school district in Illinois. Marianela is committed to empowering families through effective communication and through ensuring they have equitable access to their children’s education. She thrives on building strong relationships and creating a supportive environment where every family feels valued and understood. Marianela brings 9 years of experience in bridging cultural gaps and ensuring families receive the services they need. She has successfully coordinated bilingual programs at McLean County Unit5, where she facilitated seamless communication between Spanish speaking families and schools

• Rocio Peralta: 

• Rocio Peralta, Manager of the Welcome Center at The Immigration Project, has held programming positions at several non-profit organizations across the Midwest since she arrived in the US from her native Guatemala in 2009. An architect by training, she has two advanced degrees in environmental studies. Her career in the US is dedicated to advocating for Latino immigrants, especially women victims of domestic violence, and connecting them to community resources.

• Chloe Vicente:

• Specialist in information resources, library services administration and human resources management within educational institutions, I have had the privilege to coordinate innovative projects for the modernization of library management models. My creative and cosmopolitan personality, as well as my sense of responsibility, service, and excellence, have given me the opportunity to demonstrate my abilities to successfully lead, guide, and coordinate multidisciplinary teams. I am convinced that learning in stimulating ecosystems contributes to the development and valorization of people and organizations. Therefore, I am committed to building collaborative workspaces based on trust, responsibility, and efficiency to ensure innovation and excellence.

This event is funded in part by the Heartland Foundation Funding Priority which supports students and key institutional needs.

All events at HCC will be at the Main Campus (1500 W. Raab Road, Normal).

Anyone with questions or concerns regarding accommodations at Heartland Community College should contact Student Access and Accommodation Services at accommodations@heartland.edu or call (309) 268-8259.