Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off the festivities

Do you enjoy watching television in color, talking on the phone without a cord tethering you to the wall or learning about the American Founding Fathers through a riveting Broadway performance? (Yes, I mean “Hamilton”). 

If you answered yes to any of those, you have some fantastic Hispanic individuals to thank for that. Guillermo González Camarena, Roberto Landell de Moura and Lin Manuel Miranda are just a few influential Hispanic people who have left a mark on the world through their ingenuity. 

Each year, MSU honors Hispanic people and their culture by hosting various inclusive events and activities. This month-long celebration of cultural pride has existed since 1988 when Ronald Reagan signed a bill to extend the celebrations from a week of events to an entire month. In doing so, he hoped to remind us how much strength America draws from our immigrant roots and values. By celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, we can pay tribute to and recognize the achievements of Hispanic-American champions who have worked to inspire others to strive for success and change. Individuals from Hispanic countries around the world, including Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvadore, Nicaragua and Mexico are all honored in the celebrations. 

“We have many goals for the festivities. Dancing, music, food and most importantly, important conversations to increase awareness and build a more inclusive community,” said Maggie Richardson, a program coordinator in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion who’s organizing the events.

Festivities will go on through October 24, with different events highlighting Hispanic culture. Strap on your dancing shoes and join MSU’s Leadership Institute in professional salsa dancing instruction, leadership lessons and a DJ-ed party. Or, if you’re not inclined to be an extrovert for the day, you can catch a feature film at the Procrastinator Theater including “Coco,” “In The Heights,” “Women Have Curves” and “Encanto.” Miller and Rendezvous will both explore Hispanic culture through the culinary arts with traditional wedding cookies, tacos and more! Who doesn’t love tacos? 

The next upcoming event is a panel discussion on October 12, featuring a variety of Hispanic professors at MSU. Everyone is welcome to join the lunchtime discussion centering around the issues and challenges that Hispanic people in Gallatin Valley face. 

“It’s great to expose people to new things and see what is around them in this world,” Richardson said.” 

If you would like to continue celebrating outside of campus, every Monday night Bar IV hosts “Sizzling Salsa Night,” and Bozeman has tons of Hispanic-owned small businesses that would love some appreciation. For more information, the at-home resources tab of the MSU Hispanic Heritage Month webpage is the place to learn about the history of the celebration and even gain some culinary knowledge by creating one of many Hispanic dishes curated by local chefs. So crank up the music, dance around the kitchen and get some pinchos on the grill.