The Adventures of René Corado The Shoeshine Boy. Las Aventuras de René Corado

Description: Childhood René Corado was born in 1960 in a small village in El Chicał, Guatemala.Early Age and Early Career In 1960 Guatemala was thrown into 35 years of Civil War. Most Guatemalans were emigrating around the 1970’s to 1980’s to escape the horror and violence[2]. In 1981 Corado left his home country and came to the United States[3]. One of his many jobs in the United States led him to Hollywood where he started as a gardener for the Donald L. Bleitz Wildlife Foundation in 1982. Bleitz passed away in 1986 and requested that all study skins go to the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, now the largest egg and nest collection in the world, founded by Ed N. Harrison in 1956 [4]. Corado worked alongside Harrison and by 1991 Corado graduated with a Biology degree and honors, receiving the "Diploma Plus Reward". Following his degree and reward, he was invited to lunch with the Mayor, Tom Bradley, of Los Angeles for his accomplishments. He also had the opportunity to learn from condor researcher Lloyd Kiff and wildlife illustrators Dana Gardner and John Schmitt[. To this day, he still works at the Western Foundation for Vertebrate Zoology as the Collections Manager.Early 2000's In 2001, Corado created a campaign called the Guatemala River Project to work towards cleaning the heavily polluted Motagua River. In 2015, he discussed his concerns with then-presidential candidate Jimmy Morales, whom he met when both were part of a television interview. By 2016, Corado was named a Distinguished Guatemalan by the Central American Confederation of California, a Distinguished Guatemalan Abroad by the Congress of Guatemala, and also received an award from Guatemala’s Department of the Environment. Niw a resident of Oxnard, he serves on the advisory board for the Extended Opportunity Program and Services for Oxnard College, and recently ended his 2 year term working on the advisory board for the Art Commission for the Cafe on A/Acuña Gallery and Cultural Center. He and Director of WFVZ, Linnea Hall have collaborated on numerous publications such as Egg & Nest which emphasizes the plethora of diversity that can be found in bird eggs and nests. In 2014 he also wrote El Lustrador (in Spanish) and the bilingual children’s book The Adventures of René Corado: The Shoeshine Boy, published in 2016, a book to inspire immigrant communities, and others alike, to reach their goals and recognize that every dream is possible. Part of the sales from these books support his foundation, El Lustrador a nonprofit he funded in 2016 to improve educational opportunities for underprivileged youth in Guatemala. Corado with all of his eggs.Recent yearsToday, local school groups visit the WFVZ, which has more than a million bird eggs, eighteen thousand bird nests and fifty six thousand skins (of birds) where Corado spends most of his days. [13]. Ornithologists and researchers alike travel from all parts of the world to explore its archive and expansive collection of specimens. Ornithology and Oology classes are taught at this nonprofit as well. The WFVZ is dedicated to education, research and the conservation of birds and their habitats.

Price: 22 USD

Location: Camarillo, California

End Time: 2025-01-26T18:54:54.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD