Director’s opening day speech
Dear Kursa students, teachers, staff and supporters — Kursa’s community — Sveiks, sveiks, sveiks Kursā!
My name is Indra Ekmanis, I am Kursa’s director, and I have the great pleasure of greeting you right here, at the West Coast Latvian Education Center, today. The Center is a place, where we all have the freedom to learn and experience our Latvian cultural heritage — our history, our language. For Latvians, as a people, the land and nature, has always been precious, and integral to Latvian identity. I invite you to recognize that today, we stand on the land of the Coast Salish peoples.
This is a place that we have longed for for two long years. How wonderful it is to see so many of you — and in 3D, not just behind a computer screen. Of course, COVID-19 has changed a lot in our world. We’ll also feel its impact here at Kursa, and some things may not be exactly as they have been. But with new challenges come new opportunities, and one of the most joyful opportunities is the chance to spend a Latvian summer here together.
I started my time as Kursa’s director in 2016 — a year of rebirth with only 12 students. This summer, after a year of quarantines and behind Zoom screens, 28 students will attend Kursa.
I am fortunate to have the chance to end my term as Kursa director in this new year of rebirth with all of you — and especially with our graduating students. Like for them, closing out a Kursa chapter is bittersweet. But I have great hopes for Kursa’s future — I know it will be bright, joyful and that Kursa will continue to develop and grow with all of you. This place, this school, is a critical part of our Latvian community in the US, and of Latvia’s diaspora education. It will continue to be so, because we are — all of us — part of Latvia.
And who exactly are we all? Let’s have some introductions! Your counselors: Katriāna Zommers, Marika Gulēna-Taube, Valdis Birznieks and Tālivaldis Bērziņš. Your audzinātāji are responsible for your safety — please make their jobs fun and easy!
Kursa’s subject matter and interest group teachers: Maija Riekstiņa, music and folklore director; Viktors Pūpols, history and chess teacher; Melisa Līgure, integrated language teacher, who will instruct a program written by Reinis Vējiņš, Dace Melbārde, Krista Brauere and Ilze Gaigala, our teachers from Latvia; Sara Celms and Ardath Miller, lifeskills teachers; Vilnis Humeyumtewa, folk dancing teacher; Māra Linda, koklēšana instructor; Shelley Ekmanis, ceramics instructor; Juliet Farr, art instructor; later we will be joined by Andris Rūtiņš (jewelry making), Lolita Krievs (naturist interest group) and Ariāna Ule (Latvian traditions).
Those who will be caring for our environment and our stomachs: Deborah Petzal, food services manager; Miķelis Kramēns, Bonnie Way, Peter Kraushaar, Jānis Riekstiņš, Aija Reimane, Callahan Farr, Ēriks Zālītis, Ēriks Rauda, and Dzidra Freiman.
With me in administration: Iveta Āva, operations manager, and Diāna Atvars, administrator.
Thank you also to Alex Mohseni, our on-call doctor, and the board of the West Coast Latvian Education Center.
Thank you all for investing your time and skills in Kursa and Kursa students!
I also want to thank our supporters: the American Latvian Association — especially Education director Elisa Freimane and president Pēteris Blumbergs; the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science and the National Center for Education — especially Anta Lazareva; Daugavas Vanagi and the Lincoln association; the Latvian Foundation; the Latvian Association of the State of Washington; the Seattle Latvian Church and ladies auxiliary — especially Prav. Daira Cilne; and Printful, Latvia’s first “unicorn” which has supplied us with stylish Kursa gear.
And of course, we would like to thank our broader community, including all of you — without you there would be no Kursa. Thank you!
— Dr. Indra Ekmanis, Kursa director 2016 – 2021
