DeLauro Applauds Federal Grant For Gateway Community College

Press Release

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) today released the following statement applauding the National Endowment for the Humanities' (NEH) grant to Gateway Community College in New Haven, awarded in collaboration with the American Library Association (ALA). Gateway was among 125 libraries and state humanities councils around the country awarded grants to host a "Let's Talk About It" reading and discussion series, as a part of the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys program.

"I am delighted to extend my congratulations to Gateway Community College. The awarding of this competitive grant is a testament to the college's fine educational work in our community.

Dialogue and awareness across cultures are more important than ever in today's world. I am grateful to the NEH and the ALA for working together to provide a forum for such valuable conversation in New Haven, and I look forward to the great success of the "Let's Talk About It' series--both in our community and in other places of learning throughout the country."

The 125 grant winners throughout the country will receive funding of up to $4500, plus resources and support for planning, publicizing, and implementing the "Let's Talk About It" series. The Let's Talk About It model engages participants in discussion of a set of common texts selected by a nationally known scholar for their relevance to a larger, overarching theme.

Bridging Cultures is an NEH initiative that engages the power of the humanities to promote understanding and mutual respect for people with diverse histories, cultures, and perspectives within the United States and abroad. The Bridging Cultures Bookshelf is a joint project of the NEH and the ALA, and introduces the American people to the complex history and culture of Muslim societies in the United States and around the world. NEH and the American Library Association compiled the Bookshelf--a collection of books, films, and other resources--based on the advice of scholars, librarians, and other public programming experts.

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