Each year, Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15 across the United States. The month recognizes the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities. This period coincides with the independence days of several Latin American countries.
The origins of Hispanic Heritage Month trace back to 1968 when it began as a week-long celebration introduced by California Congressman George E. Brown during a time of growing civil rights awareness. On September 17, 1968, Congress passed Public Law 90-498 authorizing annual proclamations for National Hispanic Heritage Week. President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first proclamation on that day. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded the observance to a full month.
At the University of New Mexico (UNM), efforts to honor Hispanic heritage extend throughout the year. The university’s department of anthropology maintains an online resource highlighting events, research, and organizations related to its Hispanic Lobo community.
El Centro de la Raza at UNM provides academic support and cultural programming for students and their families through mentoring, recruitment initiatives, advocacy, internships, professional development opportunities, and emergency scholarships. El Centro focuses on promoting student access and success while fostering leadership within Latino/Hispano communities.
“El Centro de la Raza stands as a testament to the vibrant Chicano movement of the 1960s. Its inspiring history is deeply rooted in student empowerment. Initially brought to life by passionate students, El Centro quickly emerged as a vital force, ensuring that the University of New Mexico addresses the unique needs of its largest and most rapidly growing ethnic population,” said Rosa Isela Cervantes, director of El Centro de la Raza.
El Centro achieved state funding for its first special project in 1994 following student advocacy and community support. It was renamed El Centro de la Raza in 1995 with a continued mission to serve Chicano/Nuevo Mexicano/Latina/o/x students in higher education.
UNM’s Chicana and Chicano Studies department promotes understanding through teaching, research, and advocacy about Chicano/Hispano/Mexicano communities—an important focus given New Mexico’s high percentage of Hispanics among its population.
Irene Vasquez leads both the Southwest Hispanic Research Institute (SHRI) and serves as founding chair of UNM’s Chicana and Chicano Studies department. Under her direction between 2013-2015, UNM established this academic department along with a bachelor’s degree program in Chicana and Chicano Studies.
The Department of Spanish & Portuguese at UNM teaches language programs including Spanish as a Second Language, Spanish as a Heritage Language, and Brazilian Portuguese. Its degrees offer concentrations in linguistics; Peninsular or Spanish American literature; Southwest studies; or Portuguese language studies.
Department chair Santiago Vaquera-Vásquez has published literary works internationally and conducts research on US/Mexico border cultures featured in journals from Mexico and the United States.
The Latin American and Iberian Institute (LAII) at UNM supports research about Latin America’s cultures by collaborating with local schools—including Central New Mexico Community College—and organizations such as Instituto Cervantes.
SHRI was founded in 1980 to encourage multidisciplinary research into Latino/Hispanic populations both locally in New Mexico and nationwide. The institute offers faculty support services such as working paper series sponsorships; internships; graduate assistantships; conferences; lectures; visiting scholar programs; event co-sponsorships; advocacy for hiring equity among Latinx faculty members; research opportunities for affiliated students—and outreach efforts connecting Hispano/Mexicano communities with university resources.
A range of events are scheduled throughout this year’s celebration period—including film screenings hosted by various departments at UNM—as well as public lectures via Zoom covering topics like anti-racist solidarity networks within modernist movements across Latin America.
“El Centro de la Raza stands as a testament to the vibrant Chicano movement of the 1960s. Its inspiring history is deeply rooted in student empowerment. Initially brought to life by passionate students, El Centro quickly emerged as a vital force, ensuring that the University of New Mexico addresses the unique needs of its largest and most rapidly growing ethnic population.”
– Rosa Isela Cervantes
For more information about these activities or ongoing recognition efforts at UNM related to Hispanic Heritage Month visit their Anthropology website.
