Hispanic heritage month celebrations in the community

By Ezekiel Ramirez

News Reporter

September has arrived, which means the beginning of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) week and Hispanic Heritage Month. 

Texas State 

Texas State University honors Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15-Oct. 15 which recognizes the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans with Hispanic and Latine ancestry.

“I think Hispanic Heritage Fund is really about the opportunity to celebrate Hispanic cultures and doing that through like community music, food, which are all important to the culture, and then also having the opportunity to learn more about the history and contributions of Hispanics over time, both within the country as well as within the actual like Latin X Latin America countries as well,” senior coordinator for community engagement programs, Karina Ogunlana said.

HSI is observed until Sept. 17, with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) encouraged to involve themselves with campus activities to raise awareness of the important role HSI plays in improving access to education and advancing equity for traditionally underserved students.

“We really strongly believe that celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is everyone’s business here at Texas State, especially with us being a Hispanic serving institution,” Ogunlana said. 

Here is a list of events students can check out on campus:                           

• Saca presents Hispanic Heritage Month tunes at noon, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

• “Hailing Cesar” screening and moderated discussion, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

San Marcos 

The San Marcos community is hosting its 2023 Hispanic Heritage Exhibition Walk on Saturday, Sept. 16. The walk will begin at 10 a.m. at Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos and will culminate at the Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos. Once arriving at the Hays County Historic Courthouse, there will be music, food and vendors until 3 p.m. The event proceeds will grant local students scholarships to further their education. 

“Anyone who’s hosting any events or programs or initiatives that are, you know, able to support Hispanic students are encouraged to also submit those online on the Hispanic Heritage Month website, so that other students, other faculty and staff who can also see what is being offered and what how they can get involved in other celebratory events that are happening,” Ogunlana said. 

All students are welcome to these events and are encouraged to put themselves out there and try something new, despite being in a different space.

“You should be hopefully really finding yourself being like, ‘Okay, I’m welcome here, right, I’m able to engage the people’ and the only way that that’s going to happen is by making that first little jump and putting yourself out there,” Ogunlana said. 

To view the list of calendar events going on this month, click here.