To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the Center for Applied Humanities is hosting “Viva El Futuro,” a four-event series that honors the Hispanic community.
Marlissa Santos, professor in the Department of Humanities and Politics and organizer of the Hispanic Heritage series, said the events are centered on the future that Hispanic Americans are building today.
“Our idea here is looking toward the future. So what’s the promise? What are the hopes, wishes and plans for Hispanic communities?” Santos said.
Each event provides a different perspective on the overarching theme of looking to the future. The next event, at 5 p.m. on Sept. 26, is a discussion on “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” a novel by Gabriel García Márquez. The discussion will be in the Adolfo and Marisela Cotilla Gallery in the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center.
“We wanted to focus on what communities envision [for] their future. Every single event can be connected with that idea of looking toward the future and celebrating the life of the future,” Santos said.
The first event was a discussion with Alexandra Alessandri, Colombian-American children’s book author, on Sept. 16. The next two events are a discussion on Spanglish on Sept. 30 and a performance by Marinera en el Mundo Florida on Oct. 10, both in the Cotilla Gallery.
The setting of this celebration is also key to its purpose. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage in an academic setting bridges the gap between those studying the experience and the wider community living the experience.
“We are very indebted to the library for providing a space for our activities. Since the library is open to the public, that’s a wonderful bridge between academia and the community. We have faculty who help plan these events and are experts in some fields, [and] two scholars from outside of NSU [who] are coming. We have wonderful resources of faculty knowledge and facilities to make [this event] happen,” Santos said.
The importance of Hispanic heritage is seen in more than one department on campus. Iliana Uribe, the office manager of Campus Life and Student Engagement, sees the celebration as an opportunity for progress.
“To bring Hispanic culture to the forefront, we should actively educate ourselves and immerse ourselves in its rich traditions and values. By participating in these events, we contribute to a more inclusive and culturally enriched academic community,” Uribe wrote in an email response to The Current.
Uribe’s approach to advocacy is tied to her work at Campus Life. Affecting change isn’t in her job description, but she still takes steps to make an impact.
“As an employee of Campus Life, I promote events that provide insight into the Hispanic community [and] foster an inclusive environment. We can enhance cultural awareness and ensure that all students feel welcomed and represented by creating and supporting [these] events,” Uribe said.
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