Each year, between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15, the United States officially recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month. Wayne State joins in this tribute and celebration through campus events and the issuance of a proclamation acknowledging the countless accomplishments and contributions that members of our society with Latin American and Caribbean heritage have made in this nation.
This year’s celebration comes as Wayne State has been invited to become a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions, with a shared commitment to improving access and educational opportunities for Hispanic students. Earlier this year, President Kimberly Andrews Espy, Ph.D. furthered her commitment to improving outcomes for our Latino students by accepting an invitation to join Excelencia in Education’s national network of Presidents for Latino Student Success (P4LSS). The network consists of a group of nearly 200 postsecondary leaders committed to building the talents, skills and contributions of Latino college graduates.
“For fall 2024, 9% of our incoming first-year students identify as Hispanic or Latino,” said President Espy. “Our commitment to the success of our students and southeast Michigan region is reflected in these national affiliations that offer the WSU community access to a variety of programs, including paid internships, scholarships and the opportunity to attend conferences through the HACU that enhance leadership skills and career opportunities,” said President Espy. “It is a testament to our commitment, effort and outcomes that Wayne State is included in these organizations.”
Approximately 42% of Michigan’s Latino population resides in Southeast Michigan, including 11% in Detroit.
“The rich, influential history of the Hispanic and Latino/a culture is evident in our classrooms, in our community and in our city,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Laurie Lauzon Clabo, Ph.D. “At Wayne State, this is best exemplified through our 53-year-old Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies — one of the longest-standing programs of its kind in the nation — and in our commitment to improve college access and success for our Latino students.”
Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with anniversaries of independence for many Latin American countries and will be filled with opportunities to remember, honor and celebrate. A special Wayne State event hosted by CLLAS includes the seventh annual Latinx Faculty and Staff Association’s Welcome Back Reception, which will be held Sept. 19 and is open to all students, faculty and staff.
“This is always an exciting opportunity for our campus to gather and to learn more about — and from — our Hispanic and Latino/a community members,” said Clabo. “This celebratory month enhances our efforts toward inclusive excellence across our campus as well as within our local and global communities.”
Several other events will take place on campus and around the city. The Student Center will host several events including coloring and cafecito, a poetry workshop and a game of capture the flag played with flags from countries in the Latinx diaspora. Across the street from campus the Detroit Institute of Arts will hold a celebration of el Día de Muertos.
“Detroit is a great place to live, work and enjoy,” said Melissa Miranda Morse, chair of the Wayne State Latinx Faculty and Staff Association and associate director of the Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies. “It also has been home to a vibrant Latino community for more than a century. While many of us are engaged in promoting Latino culture year-round, this month serves as a reminder and an invitation to the broader campus community to celebrate one another’s unique differences.”
By Katheryn Kutil