Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed annually in the United States from September 15 to October 15 in recognition of the rich history, heritage, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. This celebration recognizes the cultural legacy of American citizens with roots in Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
President Lyndon Johnson signed Hispanic Heritage Week into law in 1968. Then, in 1988, the celebration expanded into a month when President Ronald Reagan signed National Hispanic Heritage Month into law. Hispanic Heritage Month starts on September 15, independence day for five Spanish-speaking countries. In 1821, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua declared their independence.
Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to reflect on the importance of Hispanic culture. It’s also a time to celebrate and grow together while supporting our Hispanic friends and colleagues.
See below for celebrations we will host on campus for National Hispanic Heritage Month 2024, or check out these other activities.
September 16: A Glimpse at Nicaragua 45 Years After the Sandinista Revolution
Noon | Bishop Library Atrium
Molly O’Brien-Foelsch, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, will share what she learned and observed during a weeklong group trip to Nicaragua, where her group met with members of parliament and the Ministry of Women, LGBTQ+ folks, and members of women-owned agricultural co-ops, all promoting the Sandinista movement to US citizens.
September 20: Latin Hispanic Alliance Dance Night
6:30 p.m. | Mund Patio
September 30: WEPA and Working with the Latino Community
Noon | Bishop Library Atrium
WEPA (an expression of joy like whoo-hoo! in PR Spanish) is a community organization in Lebanon, a new non-profit organization that focuses on empowering people, especially Latinos, for the current job market. Its founders, Maribel and Rafael Torres, will give a presentation about the origins of WEPA and expand on how anyone can reach out and work with the Latino community. They will offer ideas for possible collaborations and opportunities for internships for students.
October 14: My Experience in Valencia, Spain
Noon | Bishop Library Atrium
Gwen Sears, junior Speech Language Pathology major and Spanish minor, will present her study abroad experience in Valencia, Spain during spring 2024 semester. During her study abroad, she took a full slate of Spanish courses and participated in an internship with a speech language pathologist.
October 17: Javier Ávila Presents The Trouble with my Name
6:30 p.m. | Lutz Hall, Blair Music Center
Javier Ávila’s show is titled The Trouble with my Name. He is an English professor and writer who uses his poetry and personal stories to perform on stage. His performance recounts his experiences as a Latino in Pennsylvania, taking his audience from laughter to very serious issues like racism and xenophobia. This event is free and open to the public.
October 18: Noche Latina Dance
8 p.m. | Underground, Mund College Center
October 24: Ofrenda Decorating
11:30 a.m. | Mund College Center
October 29: Ofrenda Discussion
11 a.m. | Mund Living Room
October 30: Latin Hispanic Alliance Movie Night
6:30 p.m. | Mund Living Room
October 31: Presentations by Dr. José D. Fuentes
2 p.m. | CHA 106 (presented in Spanish)
Dr. José D. Fuentes, Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State, will explain his own journey and talk about Latinos in the sciences. This is an FYE Common Connection event.
6 p.m. | Zimmerman Hall (presented in English)
Dr. José D. Fuentes, Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State, is an expert in environmental sciences who recently had a Fulbright in Brazil to study in the Amazon forest. He will talk about his experiences and research in a presentation in English to the wider community titled, “Flowers, bees and climate change.” This is an FYE Common Connection event.
A Legacy of Leadership & Impact
Hispanic and Latino individuals have played pivotal roles in shaping the nation’s history. From business leaders and activists to artists, athletes, politicians, and entertainers, their contributions continue to drive change and enrich our society. These trailblazers inspire future generations, leaving an indelible mark on every corner of American life.
Did You Know?
The deliciously addictive corn chip recipe was created by Mexican-American restaurant owner Gustavo Olguin, who sold the recipe to the Doolin family in 1932. Since 1961, the curly, fried chips have been produced by the Frito-Lay division of PepsiCo.
A revolutionary invention in the makeup industry, the Beauty Blender was the first sponge of its kind to reproduce an airbrush-effect when applying foundation to skin. It was created by Latina makeup artist and entrepreneur Rea Ann Silva.
Olga D. Gonzalez-Sanabria a chemical engineer from Puerto Rican descent and her team at NASA created the batteries which are used in space satellites to improve their performance.
Angela Guzman is a Colombian-American UX designer who co-created the original set of Apple emojis in 2008.
Mexican-American physicist Albert Vinicio Báez was the co-creator of the X-ray reflection microscope which uses X-rays to produce enlarged images of small or distant subjects. Thanks to this invention, we have the ability to examine things as small as living cells and as far away as galaxies.