Baylor Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Contact: Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin, 254-327-8012 
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In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Baylor University will host a variety of vibrant events led by a range of departments and student organizations from across campus from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Hispanic and Latinx culture will come alive to celebrate diversity, embrace history and educate students. 

Hispanic Heritage Month’s start date aligns with Independence Day for several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, followed by Mexico on Sept. 16, and Chile and Belize on Sept. 18. Hispanic Heritage Month represents an opportunity to recognize the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States and celebrate both heritage and culture.  

Hispanic Heritage Month Events  

History Department Celebrations  

Felipe Hinojosa, Ph.D., The John and Nancy Jackson Endowed Chair in Latin America and professor of history, will add to this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month events by presenting guest faculty for a series of historical lectures sponsored by the Latinx Faculty & Staff Association (LFSA).  

“Each of these Hispanic Heritage Month lectures will provide important historical context and move us to a deeper understanding of democracy, immigration and racial justice across the Americas,” Hinojosa said. “I hope that as we enjoy the food, music and culture, we also consider the many ways that Latina/os have contributed to fulfilling the promise of American democracy.” 

The lectures are:  

"Strangers No Longer: The Politics and Promises of Religious Hospitality in Latino America"  

Presented by:  

• Sergio González, Ph.D., assistant professor of history at Marquette University 

González will explore how hospitality practices, rooted in religious beliefs, have significantly shaped Latino communities in the Midwest and how religion can teach us about the future of Latino communities in the U.S. The lecture will take place at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, in the Treasure Room of Armstrong Browning Library.  

“Democracy Across the Americas Series” 

This inaugural lecture will be presented by:  

• Michael Bustamante, Ph.D., associate professor of history and The Emilio Bacardí Moreau Chair in Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami; 
• Gema Kloppe-Santamaría, Ph.D., lecturer of sociology at the University College Cork and associate research professor at the George Washington University; and 
• Guilherme Casarões, Ph.D., assistant professor at Fundação Getulio Vargas's São Paulo School of Business. 

This series seeks to explore how to foster a more inclusive, representative and multiracial democracy in Texas. Each scholar specializes in the politics and cultures of the U.S., Mexico and Brazil and will examine the effects of political violence and ideological extremism on those countries. The lecture panel will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, in auditorium 240 of the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation.  

"Armed & Angry: Fascism on the Borderlands"  

The final lecture will be presented by:  

•  Johanna Fernández, Ph.D., associate professor of history at Baruch College   

Fernández will discuss how Latinos are at the center of a discussion about identity and belonging in the U.S. The lecture will delve into the politics of immigration, the narrative of Latinos as a threat to the nation as well as the historical roots, contemporary dimensions and danger of anti-Latino violence. The lecture will take place at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, in the Treasure Room of Armstrong Browning Library.  

Modern Languages and Cultures celebrates “Spanish at Baylor” 

In addition, the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, Office of the Provost and University Archives will present a faculty roundtable – Spanish at Baylor: Past, Present and Future. The discussion serves as a time to reflect on Baylor’s strong history of teaching Spanish for more than 150 years.  

“The event will offer a historically informed and outward-looking reflection on what it means for Baylor to be Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana, Pro Mundo, as we remember that the training in languages and multicultural perspectives that students receive on our campus prepares them to serve communities near and far,” said Leslie Harkema, Ph.D., associate professor of Spanish who will present “Baylor in the Context of the United States’ ‘Spanish Craze.’” 

Additional presenters are:  

• Moisés Park, Ph.D., associate professor of Spanish, who will present “Early Spanish Textbooks at Baylor”;  
• Esther Hur, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish linguistics, and Isabella Calafate, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish, who will present “Linguistics, Bilingualism, and the Future of Spanish at Baylor”; 
• Sylvia Hernandez, M.L.I.S., certified archivist and assistant librarian at The Texas Collection; and 
• Elizabeth Rivera, Ph.D., associate librarian and Baylor University’s Archivist. 

“As a Spanish professor, I hope students will take away an awareness of the multicultural aspects of Baylor’s history, an appreciation for the value of bilingualism and a sense of what research on the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures can look like, particularly in the context of projects our faculty are leading that engage the local Waco community,” Harkema said.  

Mayborn Museum 

Baylor University's Mayborn Museum is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a series of engaging events that honor the rich cultural contributions of the Hispanic community. 

Throughout the month, the Mayborn Museum will present a community ofrenda, beautifully designed by Eric Linares. This traditional altar will be on display, offering a space for reflection and remembrance to honor the lives and legacies of loved ones.

LFSA Faculty, Staff and Student Mixer

Baylor’s Latinx Faculty and Staff Association will hold its LFSA Faculty, Staff, and Student mixer from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, in the Bobo Spiritual Life Center. The event is an opportunity to meet with members of the Latinx Baylor family and enjoy for food, music and fellowship.

Beall-Russell Lecture in the Humanities 

The Beall-Russell Lecture in the Humanities will feature “The Power of Stories: An Afternoon with Isabel Allende,” from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, in the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center. The lecture is free and open to the public. 

Allende has sold more 77 million books translated into more than 40 languages. The first Spanish-language writer to receive an honorary National Book Award medal, Allende is the subject of a three-part HBO miniseries, revealing the person behind the legendary literary career spanning four decades. 

Additional Hispanic Heritage Month events 

Many student organizations and other faculty members are hosting different events throughout the month to further foster community among students and celebrate diverse cultures, including social media activations, lunch-and-learns, game nights, a career workshop and more. A full calendar of these events can be found on the Multicultural Affairs website.  

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the contributions that Latina/os have made in the United States,” Hinojosa said. “I hope students feel like their whole perspective of America has changed, that they leave motivated to learn more about the beauty and complexity of Latina/o Americans.” 

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY 

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.