Politixia
Penn State Abington
The Walk of Immigrants with Saul Flores — Friday, Sept. 15 at noon, Lubert Commons, Lares Building. Kick off Hispanic Heritage Month with nationally known speaker Saul Flores, who walked more than 5,000 miles through 10 countries to document the grueling and dangerous journey facing immigrants to the United States. He inspires students to make a positive impact on the world through servant leadership, philanthropy, and service learning. Find details at engage.abington.psu.edu.
In addition, a few events also will be held for Abington students only (sign in with your Abington credentials for details):
Penn State Berks
“Google my Business profile in Spanish” — 6:30–7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 12,
Berks LaunchBox, located within the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in downtown Reading. This event is free and open to the public but all attendees must register in advance. In this workshop presented in Spanish, attendees will learn how setting up a free Google Business Profile can help them to better connect with their customers.
“Charlas con Chocolates” — 3:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Sept. 13–Nov. 15, Franco Building, Room 105. This event is for Penn State Berks students, faculty and staff. Area high school Spanish classes are also welcome to attend and must register in advance by contacting Donna Chambers at DMC6004@psu.edu. This weekly gathering allows participants to enjoy cultural conversations and word games in Spanish while sampling chocolates of the Americas.
Hispanic Heritage Month Opening Celebration with Javier Ávila — 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 14, Perkins Student Center, Multipurpose Room 1. This event is free and open to the public. Attendees must register in advance by contacting Donna Chambers at DMC6004@psu.edu. Javier Ávila, professor of English, poet, novelist and public speaker, will deliver the keynote presentation, “The Road to Trouble,” followed by a reception. Using the power of poetry and storytelling to deliver a powerful message about unity and inclusion, he offers a close examination of the American-Latinx experience and takes the audience on a journey as he moves between cultures, navigating a world of misunderstandings and misconceptions, and providing a fascinating perspective on what it means to balance assimilation with cultural preservation.
Fiesta Latina — 5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 18, Perkins Student Center, Multipurpose Room 1. This event is free and open to the public. Attendees must register in advance by contacting Donna Chambers at DMC6004@psu.edu. An annual event celebrating Latin heritage, this year’s Fiesta Latina will feature the theme “One Language, Many Cultures.” The event will include live performances and other presentations, followed by a taste of Latin cuisine.
Latino Forum — 9:30–11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Perkins Student Center Auditorium. This event is open to students from all Berks County high schools, as well as members of the local Latinx community. All attendees must register in advance by contacting Donna Chambers at DMC6004@psu.edu. During the 11th annual Latino Forum, Roy Juarez Jr. will deliver the keynote presentation, “My Bag, My Home.” Juarez founded the human development company IMPACTtruth Inc. in 2005 with a dream to inspire youth and reunite families by sharing his turbulent yet inspirational life story. In 2018, Juarez published “Homeless by Choice: A Memoir of Love, Hate, and Forgiveness,” a riveting account of his decision to live homeless again – this time by choice. The keynote will be followed by opportunities to tour campus.
More information about these and other events at Penn State Berks is available here.
Penn State Brandywine
All events are open to Penn State Brandywine students, faculty and staff.
Música and Independencia: Latinx Celebration – Sept. 15, noon-1:30 p.m., Student Union 114-117. Join the Latinx Club in kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month. They will be showcasing different genres of Latin American music and presenting information about independence across Latin America.
Lotería and Games – Sept. 19, 5-6:30 p.m., Student Union Parsons Hall. Come play and learn about Lotería, a traditional game found in many Latinx communities. Loteria is a bingo-style game, brought into Latin America by Spain, that has evolved throughout time and is now found in parties and family gatherings.
Nuestras Historias: Intergenerational Trauma, Resiliency and Growth with Maria Jose Sotomayor-Giacomucci – Sept. 25, noon-1 p.m., Student Union 114-117. This presentation will help participants understand intergenerational trauma, identifying intergenerational, community and personal strengths. Participants will also learn about personal growth after trauma and self-care. Maria Jose will include insights of this topic from her experience working with the Latinx community. We invite you to join this experiential workshop with openness.
Latine/Latinx – Why it Matters with Nelson Gomez-Torres – Oct. 3, noon-1:30 p.m., Student Union 114-117. Join Nelson Torres-Gomez, lead coordinator at GALAEI, in a thought-provoking journey of discovery as we unravel the meaning and significance behind the terms “Latinx” and “Latine.” Join us for an enlightening event that delves into the evolution of language and identity within the Latin American and Latinx/Latine communities.
Penn State DuBois
“Grocery Lotería” — 12:15-1:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10. Students will host a lotería event. Lotería is a bingo-style game popular in Mexico. Students will give a brief introduction to the history of the game, lead participants through playing the game, and will prepare trifolds or posters with information on Latinx cultures that attendees can walk around and learn from. All winners of this game will win traditional Mexican food for meals or snacks.
Cultural Luncheon —12:15-1:15 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9. Students will host a Cultural Luncheon focused on Latinx families in the United States. While participants enjoy culturally relevant food, students will give a presentation on what they are learning about Latinx families from a human development and family studies perspective.
Penn State Fayette
DIY PanPipe Workshop with Andes Manta Music – Tuesday, Sept. 19, 12:15 p.m., Williams Building, Student Center. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Andes Manta Music! Each participant will be provided with pre-tuned South American bamboo pipes, cording, and bamboo struts to create their own panpipe instrument. After the workshop, the musicians will teach participants how to play a traditional Andean song.
Penn State Harrisburg
“Seeking Asylum” film preview and panel – 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 10, to be held in both the Kulkarni Theater at Penn State Harrisburg and the Flex Theater at the HUB at University Park.
The film “Seeking Asylum” bears witness to the deterrents migrants face when petitioning for asylum in the United States. According to the film, many people view entering the U.S. as the final hurdle of the migration journey, but quickly learn that once in the country, the fight has just begun. The event will show roughly 30 minutes of the film, followed by a live panel discussion and Q&A with Penn State faculty and a children’s immigration attorney who is featured in the film. The film includes moderator Wanda Knight and panelists Veronica Thronson, Senel Poyrazli, A. Patricia Aguilera-Hermida, Juliette Tolay, Sheldon Fields and Jennifer Nagda.
The event is free and open to students, staff, faculty, alumni and the community. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged; however, walk-ins can be accommodated the day of the show. The link to registration can be accessed here. In addition, the event has been approved as a First Year Seminar event for Penn State Harrisburg students. In order to receive credit, students should sign-in at the event to verify their attendance.
International appetizers and desserts will be served in the SEC Lobby of the Kulkarni Theater immediately following the program. This event is co-sponsored by Penn State Harrisburg’s Diversity and Educational Equity Committee (DEEC) and the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing.
Read 365 — Penn State Harrisburg Read 365 readers are selecting to read books celebrating Hispanic authors, illustrators and books that celebrate this month. For those interested in reading to commemorate National Hispanic Heritage month, please contact Alyson Garland, Diversity and Educational Equity Committee project lead at agg10@psu.edu.
Penn State Lehigh Valley
Author Carmen Rita Wong — noon, Sept. 21, Room 135. Family secrets and the lasting impact they can have on parents and children is at the heart of author and entrepreneur Carmen Rita Wong’s memoir, “Why Didn’t You Tell Me?” Wong will share stories from her own life and answer questions about her book when she visits Penn State Lehigh Valley for a free, public event. A former television personality, Wong is the co-creator and host of CNBC’s “On the Money” and advice columnist for well-known women’s magazines including Glamour, Latina, Essence, Men’s Health, and Good Housekeeping. She has also written two previous books and is founder and CEO of Malecon Productions LLC, where she develops female-focused media and entertainment.
Penn State Scranton
Musician Kev Ohm and cultural cuisine — noon, Friday, Sept. 15, in The View Cafe. Penn State Scranton’s Student Organization of Latinos, along with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office, is hosting musician Kev Ohm with free cultural cuisine provided by Metz Catering and local Mexican restaurant, El Bien Amigo. Ohm performs live music with an uplifting acoustic sound, bringing energy and positivity to every show and performs original music in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Penn State Shenango
Diversity Film Series: “Latinos Beyond Reel: Challenging a Media Stereotype” – 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, Lecture Hall room 222. Penn State Shenango students, faculty and staff are invited to attend the first Diversity Film Series event of the fall 2023 semester. The documentary examines the harsh reality of Latino representation and marginalization in the media industry and its effect on Latino youth.
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Social media informational campaign – Throughout September. Penn College Student Life social media channels will offer information on National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Educational displays – Sept. 12-13. Educational displays on National Hispanic Heritage Month will be provided in the lobbies of Dauphin Hall, the Bush Campus Center and the Hager Lifelong Education Center.
