Photo courtesy of Touro University, California.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is a period in the United States where we celebrate Hispanic Americans’ culture and contributions. This celebration lasts around a month, extending from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
Hispanic Heritage Month began as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson. President Ronald Reagan then extended observation to a month-long period in 1988.
The National Hispanic Heritage Month website highlights Sept. 15 as significant because it is the day Latin American countries Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Guatemala all achieved their independence. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence a couple days later (Sept. 16 and 18, respectively) during the observation period.
The website includes prominent Hispanic exhibits and collections, video and audio of famous Hispanic artists as well as informational videos on Hispanic culture and history; highlighting impactful Hispanic creators through a series of photos.
On Hamilton’s campus, celebrations and events are being organized as well. La Vanguardia, whose mission is “to give a voice to Latinx students and enrich campus diversity,” organizes events that encourage discussions about Latinx culture and the community’s presence on campus. Their first event for Hispanic Heritage Month was a cooking class in which students made empanadas and arroz con leche.
Furthermore, they promoted and participated in the peaceful march on Tuesday, Sept. 21 around campus to stand in solidarity with the people of Cuba amid the violation of their human rights.
The organization emphasized in an email sent out that “there is no way we can begin Hispanic Heritage Month without raising awareness on what is happening in Cuba.” La Vanguardia also hosted two concerts so far, featuring Adita Encarnación and Nano Stern. They also celebrated Hispanic music and culture by hosting the Latin Ball.
In addition to the special events planned by La Vanguardia,
Red Weather
Literary Magazine gave out over 20 book recommendations on Instagram that highlight Hispanic voices, ranging from fiction to nonfiction to poetry. Examples include the fiction novels
In the Time of Butterflies
by Julia Álvarez,
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
by Benjamin Alire Sàenz and
the poetry book Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair
by Pablo Neruda.
Additionally, the Wellin Museum of Art will also honor Hispanic Heritage Month through their event titled “Wellin Celebrates Latinx Art,” which will occur on Wednesday, Oct. 6. The museum has promoted the event as a celebration of the presence of Latinx art on campus, as well as Latinx history and culture.
Works of art by Latinx creators will be featured, all curated by Malik Irish, Alejandro Medina and Fatima Oliva. The event will consist of conversations and discussion about and inspired by the art pieces. The event is also co-organized by the Black and Latinx Student Union, La Vanguardia and the Wellin Museum.
The Connect Team’s Identity Team at the Career Center will also host an event in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The virtual event is entitled, “Navigating the Workplace as Hispanic/Latine” and will feature three Hispanic/Latine alumni in discussion of their experiences in their respective professional fields in relation to their identity.
The alumni are Annel Monsalvo ’17, Park Ranger in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Maria Saenz ’19, Assistant Program Manager and Scholar & Alumni Engagement at A Better Chance and Karianna Torres ’20, Strategic Communications Associate at Breakwater Strategy.
These events during Hispanic Heritage Month, from a multitude of organizations and clubs on campus, provide the opportunity to celebrate the rich history of Hispanic culture, facilitate important discussions and create safe spaces for the Hispanic community on campus to celebrate and honor their identity.