Wayne State University and the Center for Chicano-Boricua Studies (CBS) are commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month, running from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, with a series of events ranging from films and lectures, to book signings and a gala fundraising dinner.
Hispanic Heritage Month, observed yearly between September 15 and October 15, marks the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico declared its independence on Sept. 16 and Chile on Sept. 18. The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2005 data reports that more than 41 million people in the United States are of Hispanic origin, about 14 percent of the U.S. population and the nation’s largest ethnic or race minority group. This estimate does not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico.
According to the CBS director, Professor Jorge L. Chinea, DTE Energy, MGM Grand Detroit Casino, Merrill Lynch, Wayne County Community College District and various units on campus have collaborated to host a series of events to mark Hispanic Heritage Month at Wayne State University. “CBS is proud to be spearheading this collaborative effort to recognize the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month. There are several engaging and entertaining venues planned that will mark this significant occasion,” Chinea said.
WSU launches the series of events with an Author Book Signing on Thursday, Sept. 13, 3-5 p.m., at the Walter P. Reuther Library conference room 200, located at 5401 Cass Avenue, Detroit. Ethriam Cash Brammer, CBS assistant director for recruitment and retention, will talk about the publication of his most recent translation, El sol de Texas/Under the Texas Sun” (Arte Publico Press, 2007). Copies of the book will be available for purchase and a signing immediately following the free lecture.
Four major films will be featured as part of the free Latino Film Series. All showings will be at 5:30 p.m., at 368 Manoogian, located at 906 West Warren Avenue, in Detroit. The film schedule includes:
• Wednesday, September 19, “El Norte”
• Wednesday, September 26, “Real Women Have Curves”
• Tuesday, October 2, “Retrato de Teresa”
• Tuesday, October 9, “Pan’s Labyrinth.”
As part of the Lecture Series, Ana L. Izquierdo, professor of Anthropology at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, will speak about ancient and contemporary Mayan issues on Monday, Oct. 8, 12-1:30 p.m., in room 3339, in the Faculty Administration Building (FAB). FAB is located at 656 West Kirby, on the Wayne State campus.
Izquierdo, a noted scholar of Mayan political and juridical institutions, will be sponsored by the Center for Chicano-Boricua Studies, Mexican Consulate in Michigan, King-Chavez-Parks Visiting Professor Fund and the Departments of Romance Languages & Literatures and Anthropology.
Organizers expect her presentation titled “Indigenous People in Mexican Law” to engage students, faculty and community folks interested in Latino and Latin American themes, especially colonial art, law, indigenous rights, Amerindian culture, linguistics and education.
Izquierdo has authored and edited four books and published over 40 articles on education, law, art, colonial sources and the formation of indigenous Mayan political institutions.
Hispanic Heritage Month observances will be concluded during the Saturday, Oct. 27 “CBS 36th Anniversary Gala Fundraising Dinner” at Wayne State’s McGregor Conference Center, 6-8 p.m. The Center’s alumni from the 1970’s will be publicly recognized. Angelo Figueroa, CBS alumnus and former editor at TIME Magazine and founding editor of People en Español, will be the featured keynote speaker. The title of his talk, "The Giant Isn\'t Sleeping, He\'s Dancing Salsa: The State of Latino USA," will examine the importance of education for Latino self-empowerment. Detroit Free Press writer, Alejandro Bodipo-Memba, will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
The McGregor Conference Center is located at 495 West Ferry Mall on the Wayne State University campus. Ticket and reservation information may be obtained by contacting Ethriam Cash Brammer at (313) 577-4378. Monies raised at the dinner will be used to fund scholarships to assist deserving and needy students recruited by CBS to access a quality education at Wayne State University.
Additional information on the WSU Hispanic Heritage Month calendar of events is available by contacting the Center for Chicano-Boricua Studies http://www.clas.wayne.edu/CBS/ or by calling (313) 577-4378.
Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to nearly 33,000 students.