KU News Release

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with about 25 special events incorporating this year’s theme, Latinos Leading in a Global Society. KU observances, all coordinated through the Office of Multicultural Affairs, will continue through early November.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated nationally Sept. 15-Oct. 15 to recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the United States and to celebrate Hispanic heritage and culture. The time period marks the anniversaries of independence in the early 1800s for several Latin American countries. The observance started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

Jimmy Cabrera, a motivational speaker from Houston, Texas, will give the keynote address at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the Pine Room in the Kansas Union. Cabrera uses examples from his Mexican-American heritage in his presentation and his book, “What’s In Your Backpack? Packing for Success in Life,” that outline eight tools for success.

“An Evening of U.S. Latino and Latin American Boxing History” will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center. The program includes a joint lecture by KU alumnus George Kimball, New York City, longtime boxing journalist; John Ruiz, Las Vegas, Nev., the first Latino heavyweight boxing champion; and Robert Rodriguez, associate director of the McNair Scholars Program and lecturer in Latin American studies at KU. A question-and-answer session and book signing will follow for Kimball, the author of “Four Kings: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing,” and Rodriguez, author of “The Regulation of Boxing — A History and Comparative Analysis of Policies Among American States.” Ruiz will also be available after the lectures to take photographs and sign autographs.

Orquestra de Sao Paulo, considered the most significant symphony orchestra in Latin America, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at the Lied Center. Tickets are $15 for students and $34-$40 for adults by contacting the Lied Center box office at (785) 864-2787 or going to the Lied Center Web site.

The Hispanic American Leadership Organization, known as HALO, is sponsoring an essay contest on the topic of the recent appointment of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor as a pivotal event in history for Hispanic Americans because of the obstacles she had to overcome to succeed. Deadline for entries is Oct. 15, and the top prize is a $100 gift certificate to the Kansas Union Bookstore. For more contest details, including its Facebook group and submitting entries, contact Ben Fuentes, HALO president, at bfuentes@ku.edu.

Several university-wide events will feature Latino food. The KU Latino Council will host a dessert social for students, faculty and staff from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17 at the KU Visitor Center. HALO and the KU Latino Council will host a potluck dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 13 at Ecumenical Christian Ministries.

On Oct. 7, KU will sponsor its fourth annual Latino Leadership Symposium for high-achieving Latino high school students. KU graduate Sandra Olivas, reporter at KCTV-5 in Kansas City, Mo., will give the opening keynote address at 9:15 a.m. at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union.

Latino Leadership Symposium sponsors and coordinators are the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Office of the Provost, Office of Admissions and Scholarships, Continuing Education and Student Involvement and Leadership Center. For more information and registration, go to the Continuing Education Web site.

Hispanic Heritage Month sponsors include Centro Hispano Resource Center in Lawrence; and, from KU, Department of Dance; Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center; Hall Center for the Humanities; Hispanic American Leadership Organization; KU Latino Council; Lied Center; National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations; Office of Multicultural Affairs; Oread Bookstore; Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center; School of Music; Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity, Mu Beta chapter; and Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority, Delta Alpha chapter.

For more information, contact Office of Multicultural Affairs Assistant Directors Juan Izaguirre, juanmi@ku.edu, or Precious Heart Porras, pporras@ku.edu; call the office at (785) 864-4350 or go to www.oma.ku.edu.

Other events include

Sept. 16 — Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority informational meeting, 6 p.m. at Alcove A, Kansas Union, followed by 7 p.m. body image workshop in the Curry Room, Kansas Union; for more details contact Rachel Raya, president, at r6648009@ku.edu.

Sept. 16 — Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity informational meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Walnut Room, Kansas Union; for more information, contact Dag Heredia, secretary, at dheredia@ku.edu.

Sept. 17 — Santiago Hirsig, a member of KC Wizards soccer team from Buenos Aires, Argentina, will visit Robert Rodriguez’s Sports and Politics in Latin America class. For details, contact Rodriguez at robertrodriguez@ku.edu.

Sept. 23 — Illegal immigration discussion followed by question-and-answer session with individuals familiar with the subject, 6 p.m. in the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center. Sponsored by HALO. For additional details, contact bfuentes@ku.edu.

Sept. 23 — Opening reception for the Emilio Said-Unreal Cities: Informal Architecture Zone exhibition at Spencer Museum of Art. Co-sponsored by the Consulate of Mexico in Kansas City and the Spencer Museum of Art. For details and to request an invitation, contact spencerart@ku.edu or call (785) 864-4710.

Sept. 27 — Loteria, the Latino version of Bingo, sponsored by Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity, 7:30 p.m., Lewis Hall.

Sept. 29 — Latin Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center. Sponsored by HALO with prizes to winners. Contest follows 6 p.m. regular weekly HALO meeting.

Oct. 1 — Latinos in Higher Education dialogue with Jessica Vasquez, assistant professor of sociology, whose presentation will deal with issues facing Latinos in higher education, noon, Pine Room, Kansas Union.

Oct. 1 — English Only Please diversity dialogue and interactive session with Office of Multicultural Affairs representatives, 6 p.m., Gertrude Sellards Pearson Hall. For details, contact Precious Heart Porras at pporras@ku.edu.

Oct. 2 — HALO members meet at Hillcrest Elementary School Fall Fling carnival, 5:30 p.m., 1047 Hilltop Drive, to volunteer at games and help with serving food. For more details, contact Ben Fuentes at bfuentes@ku.edu.

Oct. 3 — Second annual National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations stroll synchronized dance competition, open to all student organizations for a $10 entry fee, 6 p.m., Woodruff Auditorium, Kansas Union. To enter or for more details, contact nalfopresident@ku.edu.

Oct. 6 — Volunteer at Jubilee Café, 1116 Louisiana St., at 6 a.m. For more details, contact Dag Heredia, National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations treasurer and Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity secretary, at dheredia@ku.edu.

Oct. 7 — The Race To Be Seated, panel of students, staff and faculty speakers, part of the Critical Conversation series sponsored by the Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center, noon-1 p.m., International Room, Kansas Union. For details, contact Annie McKay at amckay@ku.edu.

Oct. 9 — Notable Latin Figures, 6-8 p.m., Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center. HALO members will give brief histories and portray significant individuals, including Cesar Chavez, labor and civil rights activist; Benito Juarez, five-term president of Mexico; Celia Cruz, Cuban salsa singer; and Mexican painters Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

Oct. 9-Nov. 28 — Day of the Dead exhibition at Watkins Community Museum of History, 1047 Massachusetts St., Lawrence, featuring objects on long-term loan from the Spencer Museum of Art collection, including an ofrenda (altar), wood toys, calaveras (skeletons), photographs, papel picado (cut-paper design) and handmade Mexican crafts. Guided tours are available upon request by contacting Helen Krische at the museum at 841-4109. For more information, go to www.watkinsmuseum.org.

Oct. 30-Nov. 6 — Dia de los Muertos Memorial. HALO members will create an ofrenda (altar) that will be on display Nov. 2-6 at the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center. For more details, contact Ben Fuentes at bfuentes@ku.edu.