Alf's The Dialogue

In this episode, we are joined by Senior Fellow Jessica Paz-Cedillos (ALF Class XLI) and Vanessa Shieh, Co-Executive Directors at the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in East San José. During the pandemic, the Mexican Heritage Plaza became a community hub for essential resources and information, feeding over 50,000 residents, testing 15,000 individuals, and vaccinating 25,000 people. We talk to Jessica and Vanessa about their work at the Mexican Heritage Plaza over the last several years, their ability to pivot during the pandemic, and their unique journeys to their current leadership roles. We also learn about the Fellows Program dialogue exercise that had a significant impact on Jessica during a critical time in her life. About Jessica Paz-Cedillos Jessica is the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico and El Salvador. She was born and raised in East Oakland and knows firsthand the impact that arts and culture can have to build pride, preserve our heritage, and fuel community an