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Veteran-Officers-Turned-Authors Share Experiences During Hispanic Heritage Month

To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, Lone Star College-Montgomery is highlighting three law enforcement veterans who are also award-winning authors during two events on Thursday, September 19, at noon in the Recital Hall, located in the college’s Music Hall (Building H), and also at 7 p.m., in the library (Building F).

The public is welcome to attend these free events, which are sponsored by the college’s Lyceum Speaker Series and the Writers in Performance series.

The first responders—Sarah Cortez, Hipolito Acosta, and Christopher Hernandez—will read excerpts of their work and discuss their experiences in law enforcement and as authors.

Cortez is the author of two acclaimed poetry collections based on her experiences in law enforcement as a beat cop for 19 years. Most recently, she co-edited Our Lost Border: Essays of Life Amid the Narco-Violence (Arte Publico Pr, 2013). Cortez is currently a part-time Harris County deputy.

As a highly decorated officer with 30 years of experience with the U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. Office of Immigration and Naturalization, Acosta is considered an expert on immigration laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. His book, The Shadow Catcher: A U.S. Agent Infiltrates Mexico’s Deadly Crime Cartels (Atria Books, 2012) details his harrowing experience fighting human trafficking criminals.

After a 24-year career with the U.S. Marines and Texas National Guard, Hernandez now serves as a police officer. His first novel, Proof of Our Resolve (Tactical 16, LLC, 2012) dramatizes a Texas Army National Guard infantry platoon fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The Lyceum Speaker Series at LSC-Montgomery provides a variety of free lectures throughout the semester based on sociological, historical, economical, political, psychological, and spiritual views.

Writers in Performance brings distinguished minds and their bright visions to Montgomery County through thought-provoking literature and cultural diversity. Events are made possible by the partnership between the Montgomery County Literary Arts Council, LSC-Montgomery Library, the Conroe Commission on the Arts and Culture, Good Books in the Woods, LSC-Montgomery’s Academy for Lifelong Learning, and SWIRL, LSC-Montgomery’s magazine of student art and writing.

For more information, contact Cliff Hudder, professor of English, at (936) 273-7399, or Clifford.W.Hudder@LoneStar.edu.

LSC-Montgomery is located at 3200 College Park Drive, one-half mile west of Interstate 45, between Conroe and The Woodlands. For more information about the college, call 936.273.7000, or visit www.LoneStar.edu/montgomery.

Lone Star College System has been opening doors to a better community for 40 years. Founded in 1973, LSCS remains steadfast in its commitment to student success and credential completion. Today, with 78,000 students in credit classes, and a total enrollment of more than 90,000, Lone Star College System is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and the fastest-growing community college system in the nation. Dr. Richard Carpenter is the chancellor of LSCS, which consists of six colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, LSC-Tomball and LSC-University Park, five centers, LSC-University Center at Montgomery, LSC-University Center at University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.

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