Multicultural Center and Amigos Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
It's not too late to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.
Western State Colorado University's (WSCU) Multicultural Center is hosting two more events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Join the Amigos club for lunch with a Hispanic flair at Rare Air Cafe on Thursday, Oct. 11. Specialty food stations will include food choices from Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Latin America, USA Tex-Mex style, Central America, and Mexico.
Amigos will be joined for lunch by the Latino Boys and Girls Clubs, made up of youth from the Gunnison school district, who will participate in the Campus Clean-Up following lunch.
Poet Aaron Abeyta will be presenting his poetry and perspective on the importance of Hispanic influences in the region on Oct. 16 at 12:30 in the University Center Ballroom. Abeyta is a Colorado native and professor of English at Adams State University. He is also the author of two collections of poetry and one novel.
According to Sally Romero, director of Westerners in Transition and Multicultural Affairs at WSCU, celebrating and experiencing diversity is an essential part of higher education.
"It's critical for a campus like ours that does lack a huge amount of diversity...," she said. "Fear comes from not understanding or ignorance, so it's important to break down those barriers."
Organizations sponsored by the Multicultural Center, including Amigos, Black Student Alliance, Asian Pacific Islanders Club and Native American Student Council, are open to everyone, regardless of their ethnicity. This allows students to share their cultures, which according to Romero is a "win-win" for everyone.
"Our world is shrinking," she pointed out, due to increased technology and social media interactions. "We all work together and grow together and play together and get comfortable with one another."
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated every year starting Sept. 15, which is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries. Also, Sept. 16 is Mexico's National Independence Day.
Columbus Day also falls during the month, on Oct. 12, which Romero pointed out is more of an education day for Hispanics than a holiday.
"It was a Spanish mission, and when they got here, they found the thriving and sophisticated culture of the Native Americans," she said. "It's more to educate than to celebrate."
For more information about WSCU's Multicultural Center and associated clubs, visit the Multicultural Center's website.
