Spanish Latin-American Literature Club

University of Texas of the Permian Basin Professor Rhina Toruño-Haensly founded a new Spanish Latin-American Literature Club and introduced its new president, Glenda Amaya, Oct. 18 at the Walter Public Library, Houston. Amaya holds a master's degree in education. Back in 2001, Amaya lived in Chelsea, Mass., where she had the idea of organizing a Salvadorian Literary Club in order to make Spanish children's books available to the public and organize meetings in order to discuss Latin-American Literary books. When she moved to Houston five years ago, she implemented her idea and contacted sponsors, among them the Salvadorian airline, TACA, which donated and imported 120 books to the project. These books are now available at local public libraries in Houston. The club is one of the components of project GEMA (Genero y Medio Ambiente y arte/gender, environment and art), which is under legal process to be registered as a nonprofit organization. In addition, Toruño-Haensly presented her two most recently published works. Half of the profits from the sale of these books were donated to the victims of hurricane Ike.

Pictured Trouño-Haensly signs books for the audience after presentation of her two most recently published books in celebration of the inauguration of a new Spanish Literary Club in Houston. Rima de Vallbona, an emeritus professor from Saint Thomas University of Houston, was also in attendance.