Albion College will celebrate the rich history of Hispanic and Latino cultures and traditions

Albion College will celebrate the rich history of Hispanic and Latino cultures and traditions with several events during Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 20-Oct. 20.

Hispanic Heritage Month was signed into law in 1988, and takes place every year from Sept. 15-Oct. 15 to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures and extensive histories of the American Latino community. The date of Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point because it is the anniversary of the independence of five Latin American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) that all declared independence in 1821.

“We want our students and the campus community to be able to connect with other people who understand their unique journey,” said Sharese Shannon Mathis, assistant dean of campus life.

The celebration at Albion begins Wednesday, Sept. 20 with a flag acknowledgment and panel discussion about “What is Hispanic? Culture, Politics and Life.” This event will be from 6-7 p.m. at the Bobbitt Auditorium.

The panel will feature Albion Mayor Victoria Garcia Snyder, ’89, Jackie Gutierrez, director of Albion College’s TRIO program, Yamaris Phillips from the College purchasing department and Jose Luis Orozco, Jr., executive director of Voces, a non-profit service organization for Latino/Hispanic families in Battle Creek.

“This is the first year we have done a panel,” said Mathis. “We thought it would be a good way for our students to gain cultural connections.”

Other events for Hispanic Heritage Month include:

Sept. 21 – Fiesta De Independecia dance workshop and dance, 7-9:30 p.m. at the Kellogg Center Stack.

Sept. 22 – The statewide kick-off celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month in Kalamazoo, 4 p.m. An RSVP is required for this event.

Oct. 3 – Puerto Rican cooking workshop, 5 p.m. in Upper Baldwin.