Looking for a dose of inspiration? This week, Shoreline Community College is bringing two incredible speakers to campus, offering thought-provoking conversations on heritage, conservation, healing, and the power of art.
On Wednesday, March 5, dive into the natural and cultural wonders of the Yucatán Peninsula with Ana K. Celis, an archaeologist and conservation expert working to protect the world’s largest underwater cave systems.
Then, on Thursday, March 6, experience Olmeca, a renowned artist and activist, as he explores the power of “Radical Love” and how art can be a tool for healing and social change.
Both events are free and open to the community—so grab a friend and join us! Full details below.
A Presentation with Hubert Humphry Fellow, Ana K. Celia: Natural & Cultural Heritage of the Yucatan Peninsula.
- Date: Wednesday 3/5/25
- Time: 5:30-6:30pm
- Location: 9000 Building, Quiet Dining Room
Ana Celis holds a bachelor’s degree in Archaeology from Universidad Veracruzana, and a master’s degree in Coastal Oceanography from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, México.
As a fellow at the Smithsonian in Panama, Ana developed a strong sense of commitment to create positive social impacts through her profession. She has worked for nonprofits, government agencies and the private sector in the areas of subterranean ecosystem conservation, cave archaeology and groundwater quality monitoring. Ana currently serves as director and founder of Karst Lab México. She provides consultancy services for ecosystems conservation and sustainable development in indigenous and urban-sprawl communities. She collaborates with Western Kentucky University and Mammoth Cave National Park to strengthen U.S.-México partnerships in Cave and Karst Science.
Ana is also a Professor at Universidad del Caribe, working to reduce the gender gap in STEM for marine science.
As a Humphrey Fellow at UC Davis for the 2024-25 academic year, Ana is broadening her network and knowledge with U.S. partners about coastal and groundwater resource management, and best practices to reduce gender gaps in science.
Her presentation, “Natural and Cultural Heritage in the Yucatan Peninsula” will discuss the importance of considering the history and values of the local communities where we travel in our inner connected world. This lecture will present a grassroots approach to preserving the world’s largest underwater cave systems and its connections with the natural and cultural heritage of the Yucatán Península (México).
Olmeca: “Radical Love:” Healing in the Midst of Chaos through the Arts
- Date: Thursday March 6, 2025
- Time: 5:30-7:30pm
- Location: 9000 Building, Main Dining Room
- Use this link to RSVP
Olmeca is a multidisciplinary artist, activist and scholar who has been featured on BBC London, Complex Magazine, Noisey, Huffington Post, NPR, and more. He is Tepehuane / Chicano part of the Indigenous diaspora in the U.S. His music and art have been featured on various documentaries, tv series, and films such as, “Tigers Are Not Afraid” and “Sons of Anarchy”.
Olmeca’s work draws on interdisciplinary theories of decolonization and collective healing. Through the Raow Raow Arts Collective, he engages with critical frameworks of indigenous knowledge and community-based healing practices emphasizing the importance of cultural reclamation and community empowerment in the face of colonial trauma.
Olmeca’s personal healing journey is deeply intertwined with his artistic practice. After the loss of 11 loved ones between 2018 and 2023—including his mother, father, and brother—Olmeca turned to traditional healing practices, plant medicine, and prayer as tools for navigating grief and trauma. ese experiences have deepened his understanding of balance through collective healing, and the transformative power of art. Doubling down on non-western healing practices, he offers a pathway for individuals to navigate complex social realities and find clarity through creativity and connection. His artistic practice and community projects serve as an avenue for restoring identity and agency, inviting individuals to reclaim ancestral wisdom as a tool for healing, solidarity, and resistance. By using art as a medium for social transformation, Olmeca creates spaces where participants can explore the interconnectedness of personal and collective healing processes, underscoring the importance of community in the pursuit of justice and well-being.
This presentation will take viewers on a journey through healing practices that draw upon ancestral knowledge and community strength to address colonial trauma. We’ll explore how traditional practices, the arts, and movement-building—can serve as culturally resonant alternatives. Through personal storytelling and examples like the Raow Raow collective, attendees will learn how art and activism can serve as a mirror, accountability structure, and source of radical love within communities. We’ll delve into movement-building as a process for turning personal healing into collective action, helping individuals avoid cycles of introspection without change. Using real-life examples, like the Raow Raow collective’s approach to integrating ancestral ways into modern life through the arts, we’ll show how accountability within a community can empower individuals to navigate complex conversations. Finally, we’ll discuss how collective practices rooted in ancestral knowledge offer unique perspectives for healing colonial trauma, emphasizing that true healing is both an individual and shared experience.