Campus Hispanic Heritage Celebrations
Colleges Nationwide Host Student-Led Events to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
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UW-Eau Claire’s article notes that Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month runs Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, grew from a week-long national observance launched in 1968 to a month in 1988, and overlaps with several Latin American independence days, including those of five Central American countries on Sept. 15.
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Gilberto Cárdenas and his wife, Dolores Carrillo García, amassed nearly 20,000 pieces of Latino art and donated part of the collection to CCSU’s Latin American, Latino and Caribbean Center. Student curator Pricila Cabezas said Cárdenas wanted the art “to spread all over the world.”
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CCSU student curators said they included Puerto Rican artists to reflect New Britain’s large Puerto Rican community; curator Alyssia Rolfe also said the exhibit was intended to show support for the Latin community amid ongoing immigration enforcement.
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At Bakersfield College’s Celia Cruz celebration, attendees could add to a colorful mural of the singer and try foods including plantains, Cuban sandwiches, aguas frescas and horchata. Event coordinator Llara Arias said the college chose Cruz to highlight an artist whose vibrancy and joy reflected Hispanic culture.
Colleges across the country are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with student-led events honoring Latino culture, history, and artists. UW-Eau Claire is hosting a month of activities under the theme "sewing seeds of joy," while Bakersfield College offered salsa lessons, Lotería games, and a tribute to singer Celia Cruz. Central Connecticut State University student curators mounted an exhibit featuring nearly 20,000 pieces of Latino and Latin American art from the collection of late sociologist Gilberto Cárdenas.
The celebrations reflect a growing commitment to Latino representation on campus. Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15, a month-long observance that grew from a single week in 1968. This timing overlaps with independence days for five Central American countries, all celebrated on September 15.
Latino Student Groups Keep Traditions Alive
Despite declines in campus programming at some universities, Latino student organizations are stepping up to organize celebrations. At the University of Kentucky, the Latino Student Union has continued hosting events that bring the community together. These student-led efforts ensure that Hispanic Heritage Month remains visible and meaningful on campus, even when institutional support shifts.
Celia Cruz Celebration Brings Music and Food to Bakersfield
Bakersfield College honored the Cuban-American singer Celia Cruz with a celebration featuring music, art, and traditional foods. Attendees could add to a colorful mural of the singer and sample plantains, Cuban sandwiches, aguas frescas, and horchata. Event coordinator Llara Arias said the college chose Cruz to highlight an artist whose "vibrancy and joy reflected Hispanic culture."
Art Exhibit Honors Sociologist's Massive Latino Collection
Central Connecticut State University student curators created an exhibit honoring Gilberto Cárdenas, a sociologist and art collector who amassed nearly 20,000 pieces of Latino and Latin American art. Cárdenas and his wife, Dolores Carrillo García, donated part of the collection to the university's Latin American, Latino and Caribbean Center. Student curator Pricila Cabezas said Cárdenas wanted the art "to spread all over the world."
The exhibit reflects the demographic makeup and values of the campus community. Student curators included Puerto Rican artists to honor New Britain's large Puerto Rican population. Curator Alyssia Rolfe said the display was meant to show support for the Latin community amid ongoing immigration enforcement. The themes explored include immigration, social justice, family, and faith.
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