On Saturday, October 30, the Challenging Racism and Empowering Communities through Ethnocultural Research (CRECER) Team of UM’s School of Education, in partnership with the Miami Coalition of Christians and Jews (MCCJ), will host their annual Day of Dialogue—Building Bridges Across Cultures: Promoting Education forum.

The interactive forum will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Gallery at the Wesley Foundation, 1210 Stanford Drive on UM’s Coral Gables campus.

The Day of Dialogue will discuss topics such as the intersection of culture and education, cultural differences, and student-teacher interaction, with the belief that closing the gap between school and home will ultimately improve student success by boosting student self-esteem, participation, and parent-family involvement, and reducing insensitive incidents at school. The event will engage perspectives from students, parents, and school staff, with the aim of identifying ways to support educational achievement through culturally responsive practices.

The CRECER and MCCJ teams are community-oriented organizations that seek to raise awareness about culture and eliminate intolerance. CRECER came to fruition at the School of Education and is comprised of graduate students dedicated to addressing social justice issues through academic research and intervention programs. The Miami Coalition of Christians is a nonprofit organization that focuses on creating safe havens for dialogue, training inclusive leaders, highlighting the benefits of diversity, and building trust among different communities.

“How come nobody’s ever tried to be a superhero?” When Dave Lizewski, an ordinary New York teenager and rabid comic-book geek, dons a green and yellow wetsuit to become the vigilante Kick-Ass, he soon discovers the answer to this question. Starring Aaron Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Nicolas Cage. The film screens on Saturday, October 30 at 10 p.m. and Sunday, October 31 at 8 p.m. Admission is $6 for seniors, University of Miami alumni, faculty, non-UM students, and staff. General admission is $8. Cash only. Free for UM students. For more information, visit www.cosfordcinema.com or call 305-284-4861.

This feel-good documentary follows Irlan and Isabela, two teenagers from the violent favelas of Rio de Janeiro, as they pursue their dreams of becoming professional ballet dancers. This inspiring story takes us from Rio, where their communities must raise the funds to support their ambitions, to exhilarating ballet competitions in New York and Switzerland. In Portuguese and English with English subtitles. The film screens on Friday, October 29 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, October 30 at 2 and 6 p.m.; and Sunday, October 31 at 4 p.m. Admission is $6 for seniors, University of Miami alumni, faculty, non-UM students, and staff. General admission is $8. Cash only. Free for UM students. For more information, visit www.cosfordcinema.com or call 305-284-4861.

Mousse (Isabelle Carre) and Louis (Melvil Poupaud) are young, beautiful, rich, and in love, but drugs have invaded their lives. After Louis’s fatal overdose, Mousse learns she is pregnant. Feeling lost, Mousse escapes to a beautiful beach house far from Paris and is soon joined in her refuge by Louis’s gay brother, Paul (French singer Louis-Ronan Choisy in his first screen appearance). The two strangers gradually develop an unusual and deeply moving relationship as director François Ozon continues his unique exploration of the nature of family and blood ties. French with English subtitles. The film screens on Friday, October 29 at 8:45 p.m.; Saturday, October 30 at 4 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, October 31 at 2 and 6 p.m. Admission is $6 for seniors, University of Miami alumni, faculty, non-UM students, and staff. General admission is $8. Cash only. Free for UM students. For more information, visit www.cosfordcinema.com or call 305-284-4861.

As the number one cause of death in the United States, heart disease deeply affects thousands in our South Florida community. The University of Miami is proud to once again partner with the American Heart Association and participate in the 2010 Miami-Dade Start! Heart Walk on Saturday, October 30, starting at 10 a.m. on the FIU campus, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami. The Start! Heart Walk includes a 5K walk/run and a fun festival for the entire family with breakfast and lunch provided.

To join a UM team or start your own, please send your name, e-mail address, and phone number to Susan Fox Rosellini at [email protected] or Victor Vega at [email protected], and indicate if you would like to be a team captain or a walker. For more information on the Heart Walk, visit www.miamidadeheartwalk.org.