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Gracias for making Arizona Luminaria part of your week. We are always grateful to hear from you.
In today’s newsletter:
📣 At a teach-in outside the UA student union Wednesday, a crowd called for leaders to reject the compact as MIT — and now Brown — have. Find out what they chanted.
🎓 University of Arizona students say they’re learning about a Trump administration compact from the news, not their school — and they’re demanding transparency before leaders decide whether to sign. Read more.
📚 The Pima County library is expanding hours, hiring staff, welcoming a new director — and preparing to move the main branch downtown. Get the updates.
Featured stories
“How are we an enemy?” UA community speaks out against Trump administration compact
Kendall Wilde was enjoying her lunch by the University of Arizona student union when the chants began. “Fees go high, dreams go low. Garimella’s greed has got to go!” Curious […]
Student pushback grows as UA weighs Trump administration compact
Students at the University of Arizona say they’re learning more about a controversial federal compact from social media than from their own university. The agreement, sent by the Trump administration […]
More librarians, longer hours, new downtown space: Change is underway at the Pima County library
The Pima County Public Library is undergoing a period of change with a new director, expanded hours and continued efforts to rebuild its workforce. This fall marks one year since […]
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U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani introduced a bill Oct. 8 that would reauthorize the United States-Mexico transboundary aquifer assessment program, which supports binational research on groundwater security, quantity and quality in border communities. The priority aquifers include the Santa Cruz and San Pedro aquifers in Southern Arizona. The program facilitates studies between the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Arizona, the University of New Mexico, Texas A&M, and universities and agencies in Mexico. The bill will go to the House Committee on Natural Resources. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, a New Mexico Democrat, is a co-sponsor. Ciscomani and Stansbury previously introduced a bill in 2023 that would have extended funding through 2032 and expanded the program’s scope to include additional Arizona aquifers. That bill got through committee with bipartisan support but didn’t make it to a full House vote.
Local author and activist Dora Rodriguez presents her book, “Dora: A Daughter of Unforgiving Terrain.” On Friday, Oct. 17, Rodriguez will give a book talk at University of Arizona’s César Chávez building at 1 p.m. Find out more about the event here. Read Arizona Luminaria’s interview with Rodriguez here.
Quash your warrant at an event held by Tucson City Court on Friday, Oct. 17. You can schedule an appointment by Tuesday Oct. 14, or check in at the lobby between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Learn more here.
The Silver & Turquoise Ball and its signature silent auction return Oct. 17 at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale. The annual fundraiser by the Phoenix Indian Center aims to community programs for urban Indigenous youth and families. This year’s gala will feature Indigenous-inspired cuisine, cultural entertainment and the chance to bid in-person on more than 100 Native American art pieces and experience packages. Purchase tickets here.
Celebrate 60 years of service at Murphy-Wilmot Library’s Diamond Anniversary on Oct. 18. The free event will feature 1960s-themed activities, music and storytelling that reflect the library’s architecture and community impact. Read more about it here.
A new medical review finds that Native American youth have Type II diabetes at rates up to 64 times higher than their non-Native peers, with the highest prevalence seen in Arizona’s Akimel O’odham, Tohono O’odham and Gila River communities. The review also found that Native girls are disproportionately affected and that diabetes-related mortality remains significantly higher for Native youth due to health care access gaps. Read more from Native News Online.
Trick-or-treat time is on! Tucson will hold a “Boo Bash” at Lincoln Park on Saturday, Oct. 18, 5-8 p.m. Bring your own bag for trunk-or-treating.
📦 Help our most vulnerable by assembling care packages with the Multidisciplinary Outreach Team through the City of Tucson. Sign up to volunteer on the following Saturdays from 9-11 a.m. — Oct. 18, Nov. 15, and Dec. 13. The team distributes care packages year-round to our most vulnerable neighbors.
The Homeless ID Project, which helps unhoused people get access to IDs that are essential for jobs and housing, will host its first fundraising breakfast on Friday, Oct. 24 at 8 a.m. at Roadies in Tucson.
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