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Contact: Laura Razo,parade co-chairperson, (785) 864-7856 (day) or (785) 832-9886 (evening).

Hemenway, Murguia to lead first Hispanic heritage parade on KU campus

LAWRENCE -- University of Kansas Chancellor Robert E. Hemenway and Janet Murguia, Executive Vice Chancellor for University Relations, will lead the first Hispanic parade in Lawrence on Saturday, Oct. 6. Hemenway will serve as the paradeÿs first grand marshal and Murguia, KU alum, will serve as deputy grand marshal.

The parade, which celebrates national Hispanic Heritage Month, will be held on the same day as KU's first open house. The parade will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Jayhawk Boulevard.

The parade is a joint effort between KU students, faculty and staff. The student organization, the Hispanic American Leadership Organization, HALO, and the KU Hispanic Network are co-sponsors of the parade. The Hispanic Network is a network of faculty and staff members who are interested in promoting Hispanic diversity on the KU campus.

National Hispanic Heritage month is Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. HALO has celebrated the month with several activities in the past years. "We are excited to have Chancellor Hemenway join us for this first time event, " said Laura Razo, KU Hispanic Network member and co-chairperson of the Hispanic Heritage Month parade committee.

"Moreover, we are glad Ms. Murguia has agreed to serve as Grand Deputy Marshall for the parade, " said Razo. "We thought it was very appropriate for her to serve as deputy grand marshal since she is a KU alum, and she is an advocate of the university."

Murguia was the deputy assistant to President Clinton and deputy campaign manager and director of constituency outreach for the Gore/Lieberman presidential campaign before joining KU on July 1.

"By having a parade during the first annual KU Open House, we can show prospective students and their parents that KU is a university with a diverse population and that we are proud of our diversity,ú said Anna Ancil, member of the KU Hispanic Network and parade co-chairperson. "As Hispanics, we can celebrate our histories and cultures, and we can showcase all the differences there are under the umbrella term 'Hispanic,' " she said.

The parade is a voluntary effort for parade organizers and participants according to Ancil. The mission of the parade is to celebrate and educate on Hispanic traditions and heritage in unity with the Lawrence community.

The parade organizers are inviting schools, community organizations, and business organizations to participate in the parade. KU student organizations and faculty and staff organizations are encouraged to participate in the parade, Ancil said.

"This would be a great time for some of the art classes, band members, and the Spanish clubs to get involved in sharing and learning about the Hispanic culture and celebrating with us, " said Razo.

"We would like to see banners, puppets, music, including percussion, for this parade," said Elizabeth Mendoza, KU Hispanic Network member and parade co-chairperson. "Because of the time of the year, we are encouraging those who are searching for a theme for the parade to use the Dia de los Muertos theme (Day of the Dead),"said Mendoza.

Anyone wanting to have an entry in the parade or help organize the parade should contact Laura Razo, Anna Ancil, 785-864-4540 or Elizabeth Mendoza. The deadline for submitting an application for a parade entry is 4:30 p.m. Sept. 22.