Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrated At Stony Brook

Press release from SBU:

Oct. 6, 2022

Stony Brook University commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) by celebrating Hispanic and Latino Americans and their contributions to the United States in all major fields, including higher education. The university will showcase the talents and topics relevant to community leaders, faculty, staff and students around significant themes in Latinx culture. This is the 33rd annual celebration and this year's theme is “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation/Unidos: Inclusividad para una nación más fuerte.”

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

“Our Latino and Latinx students, faculty and staff are essential to Stony Brook’s research and education mission,” said Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis. “We are fortunate to have a thriving and dynamic Latino and Latinx community at Stony Brook, which enriches every aspect of our campus community.”

The events, scheduled from October 5 - November 1, 2022 will feature a mixture of community activities that include celebrations, performances, panel discussions, culinary experiences, a faculty/staff mixer as well as entertainment:

Saturday: October 15, 3pm: Disney’s Encanto Movie: Deep in the Colombian mountains, the Madrigal family possesses an extraordinary secret. Each member of the family is able to perform magic except 15-year-old Mirabel, who does not seem to possess any unusual abilities and seeks her place in the world. This presentation is a collaboration with the Staller Center for the Arts and the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee.Location: Staller Center for the Arts: Open to Stony Brook University students (reservation required).

Wednesday, October 19. 4-5pm: Panel Discussion: Deported: A Family Divided: University Libraries will host this panel discussion around the exhibit Deported: A Family Divided. This exhibit is the second installation of an exhibition that chronicles the life of the Quintana-Salazar family as they navigate deportation policies and their impact on the family. Location: Melville Library Central Reading Room on the First Floor. Open to the Stony Brook University community (reservation required).

Wednesday, October 26, 12-1pm; 5-6pm; and 6-8pm: Meet Celebrity Chef Kelvin Fernandez: Celebrity Chef Kelvin Fernandez (Food Network’s Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay and FYI Networks’ Man vs. Child) will share his Dominican heritage and cuisine with the Stony Brook community at these events:

• 12-1pm: Dominican Cooking Demonstration and Teaching Kitchen at Roth Food Court
• 5-6pm: Student Cooking Competition at East Side Dining
• 6-8pm: Dine-in Dinner and Meet & Greet at East Side Dining

Locations: Roth Food Court and East Side Dining. (Students interested in participating in the competition must sign up: contact Angela Agnello at angela.agnello@stonybrook.edu)
In addition, the Faculty Student Association (FSA) is offering an extensive selection of special menus, Global Nights, international breakfasts and guest chefs for Hispanic Heritage Month. Students can go to the FSA website for more information on these programs and meals.

Wednesday, October 26, 4:30-6pm: Latinx, Latine, Hispanic—What’s the Difference? Community Plática: The Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) presents this community talk about the cultural differences between the terms ‘Latinx,’ ‘Latine’ and ‘Hispanic’ in American culture.Location: LACS Gallery, Social & Behavioral Sciences Building, Room N-320. Open to the Stony Brook University community.

Thursday, October 27, 4-6pm: Hispanic Month Faculty and Staff Mixer: The Union Universitaria Latinoamericana (UUL) will host a Faculty and Staff networking and support mixer. Location: United Nationalities in Transcending Ideologies (UNITI) Cultural Center Conference Room in the Student Union. Open to the Stony Brook University community.

Tuesday, November 1, 3-5pm: Hispanic Heritage Month Closing Ceremony: 33rd Annual Awards: The closing ceremony will provide recognition for students, faculty and staff who have made significant contributions to the Latino community at Stony Brook and feature a traditional dinner and fundraising raffle. Guest speaker to be announced.Location: SAC Ballroom A. Open to the Stony Brook University community (reservation required)

This press release was produced by SBU. The views expressed here are the author's own.