Congratulations to Our New Program Manager

This past Tuesday, Ms. Melissa Espat was honored by the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) with the Beverly Smith Lopez Award for the Practice, Teaching and General Transmission of Acting in Theater and Film.

A seasoned educator, Melissa began producing shows for theater in 2012 with her adaptation of Beka Lamb, by Zee Edgell, a Belizean classic. In 2023, she produced John John's Blue, originally written by Evan X. Hyde in the 1970s about the situation of youth growing up on the Southside of Belize City. But then she started writing and producing her own original work.

A few years ago, Melissa started an organization called Reading Writes, which has become the platform for her own writing. In all her work, Melissa strives to use theater as a means of bringing up difficult and often thorny social topics. She also uses her plays to raise money for local social services.

This past week, Melissa also began a job with the Jesuit Community, becoming the first full-time employee of a new initiative called "The Jesuit Center for Reconciliation," which forms our lay partners to become agents of reconciliation in Belize. Melissa will serve in the role of Program Director.

The Jesuit Community congratulates Melissa, and we look forward to working closely with her over these next years!