The Latin American Student Organization and the Office of Multicultural Affairs are hosting various events over the next few weeks to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.

National Hispanic Heritage Month honors people of Hispanic and Latin American background. In the United States, the celebration is observed annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The starting date is important, as many Latin American countries celebrate their Independence Day on Sept. 15 and 16.

Kinesiology junior Joselyn Lozano is the President of LASO. She said that the organization has multiple events planned in partnership with the Office of Multicultural Affairs that students can attend at no cost.

LASO will have a table at Fall Fest on Friday, Sept. 16, and will be doing giveaways and spreading the word about what National Hispanic Heritage Month is. Later in the day, they will also be hosting a social at La Chilanga, a local Mexican restaurant.

“We’re kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month with local restaurants around Baton Rouge, specifically Hispanic-owned and run businesses,” Lozano said.

The La Chilanga social will take place at the 220 W. Lee Drive location on Friday, Sept. 16 from 6 to 8 p.m.

From Sept. 19 to 22, LASO will be hosting a Latinx career week with the Latinx Center catered to minority students. Each day will feature a different topic to prepare minority students for a career after graduation.

“A lot of us are first generation, so we really don’t know much about how [to] start building up [our] career. How do [we] start networking? Some people don’t know what resumes are,” Lozano said. “The other day I was talking to a guy. He didn’t know about email signatures, which is something professional that every student should have.”

Alex Torres, the assistant director for Latinx Affairs, encourages all students to attend the National Hispanic Heritage Month events, even if they’re not of Hispanic descent.

“It’s also an excellent way for students to get involved and learn more about the culture, especially for students that are taking any [Spanish] classes…or for people that may want to study abroad,” Torres said.

On Friday, Sept. 30, the Latinx Center will be hosting a Latinx Cultural Night from 6 to 8 p.m. inside the Atchafalaya Room of the Student Union. Torres said there will be food, dances and different games and activities to immerse people in the culture and celebrate.

For the first time, the Latinx Center will be having a production called “Black Latina the Play.” The play will focus on the intersectionality of having both African American and Hispanic heritage and the struggles of trying to identify with both. 

“A lot of people don’t realize that part of the Black diaspora is Latin America,” Torres said, noting that many Latin Americans are also of African American descent.

The play will be put on by Black Latina Movement, a Black-owned theater and production company, and will take place inside the Student Union Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m.

Torres says it’s important for LSU to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month so Hispanic students can embrace their culture.

“There’s about 3000 students that identify as Latin American or Hispanic [at LSU]. Also when we look at the population here in Baton Rouge and New Orleans…it’s a strong presence, and it’s also important for people to have that visibility and be seen,” Torres said.

For Lozano, events like Latinx Cultural Night were how she found her community at LSU.

“My freshmen year, I didn’t have anybody. You know, I’m very family-oriented and I’m out of state, so coming to Louisiana, I was a mess. And so I ended up finding my people because of events like this,” she said.
Towards the end of October, LASO and the Latinx Center will be celebrating Dia de Los Muertos and hosting events to honor loved ones who have passed away.

LASO also has events planned for the rest of the year to celebrate Hispanic culture. Students can view the upcoming events on LASO’s and the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ social media accounts or visit the LSU website for a full list of Hispanic Heritage Month events put on by the Latinx Center.