WORDS FROM THE DIRECTOR

Alina Interián

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Center's 10th season!

I am so proud to write those six words above… After years as director of Miami Book Fair International, I dreamed of a center that would allow the Book Fair's mission to grow, while facilitating the creation of new, multi-faceted literary and theatre programs that would benefit Miami Dade College students and our South Florida community all year round (not just the eight days of the Book Fair). My planning partners at the College gave freely of their time as we committed dreams to paper throughout the grant-writing stage, and I thank them from my heart. Their invaluable input, College President Dr. Eduardo J. Padron's support, and our seed grant from the Knight Foundation, helped create the Center we know and love.

The Center is for readers and actors, book lovers and theatre aficionados. It is for aspiring writers and award-winning authors, children learning to sound out their first words, and college students ready to make their mark on society. It is the supportive community beginners need as they shape words into poems or bring them to life on the stage. And maybe more importantly, it is for those who have not yet felt the joy of reading… the place where they can discover the books that will help them fall in love with stories.

Over the past 10 years, we have worked hard to offer something for everyone, to truly be a Center, a gathering place for all who want a bit more literature and theatre in their lives, and I am overjoyed to say we've accomplished our goals. There is only one thing left for us to do: give you more. The next 10 years will be even better.

Please join us as we celebrate our birthday throughout this year; come out to one of our events. And send me your thoughts — what would you want to find at YOUR Center over the next 10 years?

With my best wishes,

Alina Interián,
Executive Director, The Center @ MDC
alina.interian@mdc.edu