Sept. 15 marked the start of National Hispanic American Heritage Month. For students looking to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans or learn more about Latinx/Hispanic culture, UB and the Buffalo community are hosting everything from mixers and movie nights to academic lectures.
Hispanic Heritage month, also referred to as Latinx Heritage month, is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 because many Latin countries celebrate their independence days at the same time. The period is meant to honor the cultures and contributions of people with ties to the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America and Spain.
Many of UB’s on-campus events are being hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and by the Intercultural and Diversity Center (IDC), in coordination with the Latin American Student Association (LASA). Beyond UB, the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York is also hosting a variety of events in honor of the celebration.
Here’s a roundup of upcoming events:
Oct. 1: Tough Topics: Colorism in the Brazilian & the Latin Community and Hispanic Heritage Month Dessert Hour
IDC and LASA will host a forum to explore how colorism and international beauty standards impact the Latinx/Hispanic community from 3-4 p.m. in SU 240. Participants can also join online. Following the Tough Topics conversation, IDC and LASA will present a slideshow of influential Latinx/Hispanic people while inviting participants to Latinx/Hispanic desserts from 4-5 p.m. in SU 240.
Oct. 1: Amherst Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
The Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York is hosting a celebration of Latinx/Hispanic arts, food and music from 6-8 p.m. at the Amherst Audubon Senior Center. Entry is free and there will be vendors and artists to purchase from.
Oct. 5: Policing, Puerto Rico and Crisis
Professor Marisol LeBrón of the University of California, Santa Cruz will present at 4 p.m. on Zoom as part of the CAS’ Latinx Heritage at the Intersection of Culture and Crisis series. Register for the event ahead of time on the CAS website.
Oct. 8: Tough Topics: Hispanic & Latinx Movements
IDC’s final Tough Topics forum of the month will educate participants on Hispanic and Latinx movements that have been unifying forces in the community. The discussion will last from 3-4 p.m. in SU 240. Participants can also join online.
Oct. 8: Life After Graduate School
At 4 p.m. in NSC 218, CAS will give students the opportunity to listen to the likes of college deans and senior scientists from the Latinx community including Amaris Borges-Muñoz and Jose Cintron talk about their experiences and career options after graduate school.
Oct. 8: LGBTQ+ Movie Night: Mosquita y Mari
IDC and LASA will commemorate LGBTQ+ members of the Latinx community by screening this coming-of-age film at 6 p.m. in the SU Theatre. The Aurora Guerrero film follows the love story of two Chicana high school students after they are assigned as study partners.
Oct. 11: Latinx Roots with Kahoot (with prizes)
IDC and LASA aim to teach students more about Latinx/Hispanic culture with a trivia Kahoot game complete with prizes for the winners. The event will start at 6 p.m. in SU 240.
Oct. 12: Performance by Puerto Rican guitarist Hermelindo Ruíz Mestre
The Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York will host a performance by guitarist Hermelindo Ruíz Mestre in Kleinhans Music Hall’s Mary Seaton Room at 7 p.m. Admission is free and face masks are required.
Oct. 13: Conversations in Science: Latinx Lead Environmental Justice
From 6-7 p.m., the Buffalo Science Museum will hold a panel discussion on Zoom focused around the climate justice issues that are impacting Buffalo’s Latinx/Hispanic communities. The event is free and open to the public; participants must preregister on the museum’s website.
Oct. 14: The Messiness Of Independence: Reflections On The Moment Of Mexican Independence On Its Bicentennial (1821-2021)
Professor Sergio Gutiérrez-Negrón of Oberlin College will offer his expertise on Mexico’s independence in this 4 p.m. Zoom lecture. This talk is a part of CAS’ Latinx Heritage at the Intersection of Culture and Crisis series. Register for the event ahead of time on the CAS website.
Ongoing: Hispanic Heritage Month Exhibit
The Buffalo Museum of Science has put together an exhibit featuring the contributions of 10 Latinx/Hispanic scientists in honor of the holiday. The exhibit can be seen during normal business hours, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday Student admission is $13.
Ongoing: Hispanic music playlist
Enjoy IDC’s selection of Hispanic music with the center’s 300+ song playlist highlighting the talents of Celia Cruz, J Balvin, Shakira, Bad Bunny and others. Students can stop by the IDC office at SU 240 to hear the music or listen to the playlist on Spotify.
Ongoing: Hispanic Heritage Month literary collection
UB Libraries assembled a collection of 245 literary works about the Latinx/Hispanic experience for patrons to browse. The collection has something for everyone with documentaries, autobiographies, fiction and children’s books by authors such as Jeanine Cummins, Tatiana de la Tierra and J. Malcolm Garcia. The entire collection can be viewed on the department’s website.
The Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York has a variety of ongoing events happening weekday mornings as well. Students can check these out on the council’s events calendar.
CAS’ Latinx Heritage at the Intersection of Culture and Crisis series runs through Dec. 10. A complete list of the series lectures can be found on the center’s website.
Natalie Doller is an assistant news/features editor and can be reached at natalie.doller@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
