From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Temple will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to honor the contributions of Latinx/Hispanic communities throughout United States history. 

This year, the College of Liberal Arts will collaborate with other schools and colleges as well as other campus partners and community organizations to host a series of in-person and virtual events, including panel discussions, author readings, film screenings, Latin dance lessons and more. 

“This year’s celebration will not only honor the history and contributions of the Latinx/Hispanic communities but also recognize its diverse range of cultures. That’s why this year’s title is Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month: La Diversidad Nos Define (diversity defines us). Although the College of Liberal Arts is the principal organizer of this year’s events, this is a universitywide celebration,” said Hiram Aldarondo, the senior associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Liberal Arts (CLA). “We invited all schools and colleges, along with Temple Libraries, to get involved. Twenty-three events are planned, with contributions also from local community partners.” 

Visit Hispanic Heritage Month for a complete list of events. Here are a few highlights.

Opening event: Race, Identity and History of Latinos in the United States

The opening event for Hispanic Heritage Month at Temple will include a talk from keynote speaker Milagros Denis-Rosario and a panel discussion with Johnny Irizarry, César Cabezas, Emma Restrepo and Harvey Neptune addressing race and identity of Latinos in the United States. This event is hosted by the Center for the Humanities at Temple and the Latin American Studies Program. Co-sponsored by: College of Education and Human Development, Department of History, Department of Philosophy, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and Lew Klein College of Media and Communication’s Latino Initiative.

Thursday, Sept. 15
2 p.m.
Mazur Hall

Panel discussion: Upward Mobility in Latinx Communities 

Join Jennifer Morton and Jody Agius Vallejo for a discussion about upward mobility in Latinx communities and a panel discussion with professors and students.

Friday, Sept. 16
12:30 p.m.
Gladfelter Hall

Author talk: Ana Muñiz

Attend a talk with author Ana Muñiz about her book Borderland Circuitry: Immigration Surveillance in the United States and Beyond. A Zoom webinar will be available for this event. 

Monday, Sept. 19
4:30 p.m.
Gladfelter Hall

Panel discussion: Latin America in Global Studies 

Join a panel of Temple’s global studies program alumni for a discussion on their research on Latin America and some of its critical issues. 

Tuesday, Sept. 20
3:30 p.m.
Gladfelter Hall

Author talk: José Ramón Velasco and Taty Hernández

This event, hosted in conjunction with IV Latin American Book Fair, will offer attendees coffee and the chance to listen in on a talk with authors José Ramón Velasco and Taty Hernández. 

Thursday, Sept. 22
5 p.m.
Mazur Hall

Film screening: The Book of Life

Join the College of Liberal Arts for an outdoor silent film screening of the movie The Book of Life, co-written and directed by Mexican director Jorge R. Gutierrez. As part of a fundraiser for Esperanza Healthcare, the Spanish Club will be selling quesadillas.

Thursday, Sept. 22
8 p.m.
Mazur Hall Terrace 

Diversity Dialogues

Diversity Dialogues aims to promote discourse, critical thinking, and transformative action around matters of diversity, inclusion, and social justice in the medical and health sciences community. This month will be elevating voices from Temple's Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) and the Latinx community discussion in honor of Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month.

Monday, Sept. 26
Noon
Medical Education and Research Building 

Performance: ASCAB Capoeira 

Attend an outdoor performance of the Afro-Brazilian dance-based martial art Capoeira, a Brazilian art form that is a hybrid of martial arts, dance, acrobatics, music and spirituality.

Monday, Sept. 26
4 p.m.
Mazur Hall Terrace 

A conversation: Documenting Daily Life With Latin American Workers

Claudia Zamora-Valencia, a PhD student in anthropology, will present this talk on her work with immigration narratives as a filmmaker, community organizer and researcher. 

Thursday, Sept. 29
Noon
Klein Law Building

Panel discussion: Latinx in the Law

A panel of five graduates of Temple’s Beasley School of Law will come together to discuss their careers as Latinx lawyers and serving Latinx populations. 

Tuesday, Oct. 4
Noon
Klein Law Building

Expert talk: Unpacking Identity Categories

During this talk, Salvador Vidal-Ortiz will address the term Hispanic and other identity categories found across various Latin American communities. 

Wednesday, Oct. 5
1 p.m.
Howard Gittis Student Center

Expert talk: Representation in Latinx Art

Sponsored by Tyler School of Art and Architecture, this talk will feature Marcela Guerrero (Jennifer Rubio Associate Curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City), discussing representation of Latinx art in various leading art institutions. 

Thursday, Oct. 6
6 p.m.
Temple Contemporary (Tyler School of Art)

Conference: Politics of Authenticity

This two-day conference hosted by graduate students in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese will explore how art and culture influence conceptions of authenticity and resilience. 

Friday, Oct. 7, 9:30 a.m.; Saturday, Oct. 8, 5 p.m.
1 p.m.
Mazur Hall 

Expert talk: Perceptions of Democracy in Latin America

Join a talk with Jared Abbott in which he will address whether increasing citizen voice in government decision-making will affect the perception of democracy in Latin America. 

Monday, Oct. 10
Noon 
Gladfelter Hall

Dance class: Esencia Latina 

Hit the dance floor and take Latin dance lessons with Esencia Latina, a student organization that provides education on the Latinx experience through the art form of dance. This event also includes a performance by Esencia Latina. 

Tuesday, Oct. 11
6 p.m.
Howard Gittis Student Center
 
A conversation: How to Study the Conquest in the 21st Century

During this discussion, historians Laura Matthew and Camilla Townsend will address their approaches and methodologies while studying conquest in the 21st century. 

Wednesday, Oct. 12
12:30 p.m.
Gladfelter Hall

Author talk: Carmen Maria Machado and Liz Moore

This event, co-sponsored by Temple Libraries; CLA; the Intellectual Heritage Program; and the gender, sexuality and women’s studies program, will feature Carmen Maria Machado, author of In the Dream House and Her Body and Other Parties, in conversation with Liz Moore, Temple professor and New York Times bestselling author. 

Thursday, Oct. 13
12:30 p.m.
Charles Library

Author reading: Mayra Santos-Febres

Author Mayra Santos-Febres will share her perspectives on her new book, Quererse Negra, and how it is dedicated to the construction of Afro women in America.

Thursday, Oct. 13
2 p.m.
Mazur Hall

Film screening: ¡Fenomenal! Rompeforma

Attend a screening for a preview of the documentary that celebrates the Latinx dance and performance festival in Puerto Rico, including performances from the ’80s and ’90s. After the viewing, there will be a roundtable discussion that will include directors Merián Soto and Viveca Vázquez, author Mayra Santos Febres, and video artist Laura Sofía Pérez.

Thursday, Oct. 13
5 p.m.
Conwell Dance Theater 

Honoring the Legacy of Jesús Martín-Barbero

Join an event celebrating the life and legacy of Jesús Martín-Barbero, a Spanish-Colombian communication scholar known as one of the world’s leading thinkers on media, globalization and culture. This event will feature speakers Nick Couldry, Marwan Kraidy, Amparo Marroquín Parducci and Omar Rincón to talk about Martín-Barbero’s work. 

Friday, Oct. 14
5:30 p.m.
Charles Library  

For the complete list of 23 events, visit Temple’s Hispanic Heritage Month website.