WPI Celebrates Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month 2022

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) celebrates Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month 2022 by honoring and highlighting the diverse culture, heritage, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino/a/x/e communities throughout history. We encourage our community to study, observe, and celebrate these communities and their rich heritage.  

Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month currently spans from September 15th to October 15th, however, originally it began as a commemorative week when it was first introduced by California Congressman George E. Brown in June 1968. This timing is important because the move came as a part of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s. Additionally, “mid-September was chosen because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Also, Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.”  

STEM Scholar Highlights: 

• Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski (Physicist) 
• Franklin Chang-Díaz (Former Astronaut) 
• Scarlin Hernandez (Spacecraft Engineer) 

Explore, Read, Watch, Listen 

• Explore the Gordon Library’s Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month collection 
• Explore National Hispanic Heritage Month online  

• Explore PBS Hispanic Heritage Month Documentary collection 

• Explore the New Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Latino 
• Read National Hispanic Heritage Month: Sept. 15-Oct. 15, 2022 (United States Census Bureau) 
• Read Biden to attend premier Hispanic Heritage Month Event online written by Rafael Bernal (The Hill) 

• Read Gordon Library’s Our Voices, Our Images: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month 

• Read DC Comics features stereotypical Latino foods on Hispanic Heritage Month covers online written by Harmeet Kaur (CNN) 
• Read “National Hispanic Heritage Month Q&A” (Insight Into Diversity)

• Read The U.S. Hispanic Manifesto by The Hispanic Star 

• Read and Explore the National Archives Hispanic Heritage Month News website 

• Read The Importance of Inclusive Language (Anti-Racism Daily)

• Explore Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month through WGBH and WORLD Channel 

• Watch Hispanic Heritage Month Movies 

• Watch the Crafton Hills College and San Bernardino Community College District’s Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 webinar collection featuring: 

• Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 3:00 PM EST: “Jane the Virgin” writer, Rafael Agustin Keynote 

• Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 3:00 PM EST: Indigenous Art with Artist Maricruz Sibaja 

• Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 3:00 PM EST: Organizer, producer, & journalist who became the first Afro/Black-Latina to run for Vice-President of the USA in 2008, Rosa Clemente Presentation 

• Watch The Latino List: Volume 1 and 2 online via Gordon Library | Directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders 
• Watch Retablo online via TubiTV | Directed by Alvaro Delgado-Aparicio, Written by Alvaro Delgado-Aparicio and Hector Galvez, Produced by Enid Campos, Alvaro Delgado-Aparicio, Lasse Scharpen, and Menno Döring, (Lima, Peru: Siri Producciones, Catch of the Day Films, DHF, 2017), 95 minutes 
• Listen to the Level Up Latina Podcast 
• Listen to the Latinx On The Rise Podcast 

• Listen to the Alt Latino Podcast 

• Listen to the Latinos Out Loud Podcast 

Take Action 

• Support the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute 
• Support the TransLatin@ Coalition 
• Support the Latinx in Media and Arts Coalition 
• Register to Vote -OR- Check Your Voter Registration 
• Everything you need to vote. Vote.org 

• Become a Poll Worker 

“The timing of Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of several Latin American nations. September 15 was chosen as the kickoff because it coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of five “Central American neighbors,” as Johnson called them—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Those five nations declared their independence from Spain on September 15, 1821.” 

On September 17, 1968, Congress passed Public Law 90-48, requesting then President Lyndon Johnson, to commemorate September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage Week. The president issued the first Hispanic Heritage Week presidential proclamation that same day. In 1987 U.S. Rep. Esteban E. Torres of California proposed to expand Hispanic Heritage Week to Hispanic Heritage Month. Torres believed that a 31-day heritage month would provide more time for people to “properly observe and coordinate events and activities to celebrate Hispanic culture and achievement.” In 1989, President George H.W. Bush (who had been a sponsor of the original Hispanic Heritage Week resolution while serving in the House in 1968) became the first president to declare the 31-day period from September 15 to October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month. In the following decades, U.S, presidents have made declarations commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month. In recent years, many communities have shifted from using Hispanic Heritage Month, to using the more inclusive Latinx Heritage Month. (History.com,  The American Presidency Project).

Learn More: https://www.history.com/topics/hispanic-history/hispanic-heritage-month