On Tuesday, the Office for Inclusive Excellence (OIE) observed Hispanic Heritage Month with a celebration in the Quad. The event was held to recognize and celebrate the multitude of countries and cultures making up the Hispanic community.
National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is taking place from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, is a time for people to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the heritage and culture of the United States.
OIE’s celebration, which took place during common hour, featured live music, crafts, food and informational tri-folds about eight different Hispanic countries. Trio Nova, a musical group made up of a clarinetist, a guitarist and a drummer, performed Hispanic music in the gazebo throughout the event.
Keshia Booker, assistant director for the OIE, said the eight specific Hispanic countries chosen to focus on for the celebration were picked due to the days on which their independence is celebrated. These eight countries included:
- Costa Rica. (Sept. 15)
- El Salvador. (Sept. 15)
- Guatemala. (Sept. 15)
- Honduras. (Sept. 15)
- Nicaragua. (Sept. 15)
- Mexico. (Sept. 16)
- Chile. (Sept. 18)
- Belize. (Sept. 21)
“The crafts that were chosen also directly related to the folk tales and traditions of those countries,” Booker added. Students created Mexican paper flowers, among other crafty items, which are used to decorate parties, weddings and religious celebrations.
The OIE will continue the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with a Twitter campaign and a number of events, including a Kickoff Fiesta Sept. 27 featuring Caribbean band Gavas Beat.
Keep up with the celebrations and continue to learn more by following @SRUOIE on Twitter.
