妻友社区

Events | FeaturedSeptember 14, 2022

2022 Hispanic Heritage Month to feature Salsa, Service, and Student Perspectives

This Thursday, the University of Arkansas 鈥� Fort Smith will begin a month-long slate of events celebrating Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15. The events, which include a kick-off event for all ages at the Fort Smith Public Library, salsa dancing under the Bell Tower, a Spanish-language university recruitment event, and a public open forum discussion, are hosted by the university鈥檚 Hispanic Heritage Month Planning Committee. Each of the events will feature snacks, foods and drinks that celebrate Hispanic culture in addition to planned activities.  

鈥淗ispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity for everyone to learn about people who may look differently or speak differently than themselves. It鈥檚 a chance to learn about Hispanic culture, to meet in the middle, talk, and enjoy good food and good laughter,鈥� said Cristina Castorena, a professional advisor with the R.O.A.R. First-Year Advising Center, 鈥淚t's important that the students who identify as Hispanic or identify with Latin culture feel included and celebrated, and at 妻友社区, that's the honest truth. And beyond celebrating our students and employees, Hispanic Heritage Month is also about exposing people who don鈥檛 identify as Hispanic to our culture and welcoming them into conversations.鈥�

Beyond the active events, the 妻友社区 campus will celebrate Hispanic Heritage visually with flags lining the Smith Pendergraft Campus Center and displays in the Boreham Library. The university will also highlight Hispanic students, faculty, staff, and alumni on its social media pages through day-in-the-life takeovers throughout the month.

鈥淭his goes for any every type of community, but particularly Hispanic students can sometimes feel excluded, so It鈥檚 important that we bring people together so they can enjoy their time, but also know that they are a part of something bigger,鈥� Castorena said. 
鈥淎nd when we鈥檙e recruiting, it鈥檚 important that we show our Hispanic students and their families that college is doable, its affordable, it can happen and it's right here in your city.鈥�

The S铆 Se Puede en 妻友社区 event will bring together resources from across the university campus including financial aid, academic advising, enrollment management, and student-led clubs and organizations, all with Spanish-speaking representatives to break down language barriers and help parents and students feel equally involved in the university admissions process. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to show that once you get here, you're not doing it alone,鈥� she continued. 鈥淭hat's the key. We have a whole group of people or staff and faculty that are ready to help.鈥�

The full slate of events includes:

• Chisme in the Breezeway
  September 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  Campus Center Breezeway
  
  
• Hispanic Heritage Month Kick-off
  September 15 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
  Fort Smith Public Library - Main Library
  
  
• Cafecito y Pan Dulce: Coffee, Culture, and Conversation
  September 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  Campus Center Fireplace
  
  
• S铆 Se Puede en 妻友社区: Yes We Can at 妻友社区
  September 29 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
  Campus Center Reynolds Room
  
  
• Second-Annual Salsa at the Bell Tower
  October 6 from 6:30-9 p.m.
  妻友社区 Bell Tower
  
  
• Breaking Generational Stereotypes: Learning More About the Hispanic Student Perspective (A Student Open Forum)
  October 13 from 12:15-1:30 p.m.
  Windgate Theater