With two weeks left to Hispanic Heritage Month, a national commemoration of Latin American and Caribbean history and culture, campus and local events have been organized to highlight the annual events.
Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. — and at Binghamton University, the Latin American Student Union has an array of events planned to observe the month.
With 11 percent of the students in the fall 2005 incoming class characterized as Hispanic, one of LASU’s goal is to work toward the goal of strengthening connections between Latinos in America and Latinos in Central and South American countries, as well as maintaining good ties between its organization and the Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies department.
“In the past we’ve always done a lot of forums based on the Latin American countries and what their status is now, how things have progress[ed] over the years,” said LASU fund raising coordinator Patricia Batista.
Toward that end, LASU organized a forum Thursday evening on the symbolism of Latino Heritage Month. The group is also planning a forum on the importance of Columbus Day that Monday.
“We try to look at it, not only economically, but politically and socially, how it’s affecting, not only its citizens here, but the citizens in Latin American countries because we believe both countries are affected,” said Batista. “People here in the States have a great influence over what happens in the countries;it’s reciprocal.”
And next Thursday, Oct. 5, LASU will address the upcoming elections for the United Nations Security Council, in which two Latin American countries, Guatemala and Venezuela, are being considered for seats for the first time during a forum on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
LASU will also hold a Latino night social at the Old Union Hall on Oct. 19, with a reggaeton band, games and other activities.
Similarly, BU’s Multicultural Resource Center is co-sponsoring the first-ever Hispanic Heritage Month dinner-dance in Downtown Binghamton at the Holiday Inn.
Linda Morales Husch, the center’s director, added that although the commemoration is nationally recognized as lasting for exactly one month, BU groups have extended the celebration a bit.
“We don’t stay confined between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 for Latino Heritage Month,” she said. “A lot of the programming we do in conjunction with LASU and other groups we do throughout the year, as it is with other cultural groups.”
LASU is just one part of a community-wide effort in the Binghamton area.
Earlier this month, schoolchildren were exposed to the Spanish language in classrooms as an effort to keep “local children in touch with their heritage,” according to an article in the Press & Sun-Bulletin.
The Press & Sun-Bulletin has also featured Hispanics of Broome County — who make up 2 percent of the population — each week since the beginning of September, showcasing their role in the community, ranging from college students to opera singers to law enforcement officers.