Chatham’s Global Focus program seeks to instill global competence in Chatham students by leading a campus-wide initiative focused on a specific country or region of the world over the course of an academic year through curriculum, films, lectures, performances, and cuisine.

The program also promotes cross-cultural understanding by forging connections with off-campus international initiatives in the greater Pittsburgh area and beyond. 2021-22 is the Year of Costa Rica.

Please enjoy the following playlist from Professor Walter Morales, Coach Accompanist for the Ruud Scholars at Chatham University and Music Director of the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra.

“As part of my musicological research and work as an advocate of Costa Rican composers, I have created a YouTube Playlist that features my performances as concert pianist and orchestral conductor of Costa Rican Music around the world.  You will find piano music written in the 19th and 20th Century, as well as works by contemporary composers writing for a new generation of performers.

I updated the playlist to open with an excerpt from a faculty voice recital recorded here at Chatham University in 2015, featuring Dr. Kelly Lynch and Prof. Walter Morales.  This video is followed by three Costa Rican Nocturnes recorded in the Welker Room just a few weeks ago as a part of a virtual recital featuring Costa Rican pianists from around the world.”

Chatham University’s Global Focus Program seeks to instill global competence in Chatham students by leading a campus-wide initiative focused on a specific country or region of the world over the course of an academic year through curriculum, films, lectures, performances, and cuisine. 2021-2022 is the Year of Costa Rica.

On March 15, 2022, Chatham’ Global Focus Program had the pleasure of hosting Ari Tison, an award-winning Bribri (Indigenous Costa Rican) American poet, essayist, educator, autoethnographer, and author of YA hybrid novel SAINTS OF THE HOUSEHOLD (2023) + Untitled YA (TBD) with FSG/BFYR. She is also forthcoming in anthologies including Latine YA anthology OUR SHADOWS HAVE CLAWS with Algonquin Young Readers (2022). Her poetry and essays have been published in various literary journals including POETRY’s first issue for young people. Ari has her MFA from Hamline University and teaches creative writing. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Following the reading, Ari shared the below resource list:

Language and Story Videos

-Follow Ditsöwö Ùnīwák on YouTube Link

Picture Book in English

-“When Woman Became the Sea” by Susan Strauss  Link

Indigenous Journalist

-Follow Johan Dominguez on Instagram Link

Land Rights & Activism

UN’s State of World’s Indigenous Peoples V.5 Published 2021 Link

New York Times “Conflicts Over Indigenous Land Grow More Violent in Central America” Link

Forest Peoples Programmes (www.forestpeoples.org)

Further Educational Sources 

University of Costa Rica Link

National Museum of Costa Rica Link

Ari Tison’s Info 

Join Ari’s Newsletter for Updates, Poetry, & Pop-Up Class Discounts + A Costa Rica-Themed Coloring Page 🙂 Link

Pre-Order Ari’s debut novel SAINTS OF THE HOUSEHOLD at Barnes & Noble Link

Pre-Order Latine Folklore/Horror Anthology OUR SHADOWS HAVE CLAWS out this September! Barnes & Noble Link

Read “The Storyteller Gets Her Name” on Poetry Foundation Link

Twitter: @AriTison Instagram: @AriTisonWrites

Other Costa Rican American Authors & Poets 

John Manuel Arias http://www.johnmanuelarias.com/bio 

Gaby Orozco Belt https://gabrielabelt.com/ 

For more: Check out Latino Stories “Costa Rican Americans Making a Name for Themselves” Link

Please see Chatham’s Global Focus Program for upcoming events and more information and reach out to internationalaffairs@chatham.edu with any questions.