Latinx Heritage Month
September 15 - October 15
- This event has passed.
We celebrate Latinx Heritage Month to honor the contributions and achievements of the Latinx community—trailblazers and leaders whose influence has shaped our collective past, present, and future. As a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), UC Irvine remains committed to being a model of inclusive excellence and to fostering a thriving campus community for Latinx students, faculty, and staff.
We invite you to come together throughout this celebratory month, and all year long, to explore the rich diversity of Latinx traditions and inspiring stories across UC Irvine, California, and the United States. Join us in celebrating our cultural intricacies through research, education, and the arts.
Explore
- Read: September 15-October 15 marks National Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States and Latino Heritage Month in California. We have chosen to use the term Latinx Heritage Month for our celebration at UC Irvine. “Umbrella” terms like Hispanic, Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine, or Chicano/Chicana/Chicanx/Chicane often do not reflect the complexity and diversity of Latinx histories, cultures, and identities. Learn more about this diversity by exploring the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino’s virtual exhibit “¡Presente! Exploring Latino Diversity in the United States.”
- Watch: The documentary film A Song for Cesar tells the story of the alliance that Cesar Chavez and farmworker activists formed with musicians and artists in the 1960s and 1970s to fight for the rights of farmworkers. Members of Cesar’s family, key figures in the movement like Dolores Huerta, and artists and musicians like Joan Baez, Carlos Santana, and many more, tell the story of the farmworker movement’s struggle for justice and fair working conditions. Join a screening on October 15, 2024, 7-8:30 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. The film is also available to stream online for a limited time.
- Listen: Hear UC Irvine alum Nathan Xavier Osorio read his poem, “How Hunger Was Invented.” Osorio graduated from UC Irvine in 2013 with dual degrees in English and Spanish and an emphasis in Creative Writing. He earned an MFA in Poetry from Columbia University’s School of the Arts in 2016, and a Ph.D. in Literature and Critical and Creative Writing from UC Santa Cruz in 2024. Osorio is currently a Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Irvine under the guidance of Professor Héctor Tobar. His debut collection of poetry, Querida, was published in September 2024 and has been awarded the 2024 Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize.
News and Events
- September 21, 2024, 1:30-3:30 p.m.: Book signing and discussion: Gustavo Arellano, a columnist with the Los Angeles Times, will be in conversation with Mike Madrid, School of Social Ecology, about Madrid’s new book, The Latino Century: How America’s Largest Minority is Transforming Democracy.
- September 27, 2024: La Bienvenida: Join the Latinx Resource Center for music, food, performances by Ballet Folklorico de UCI and the brand new Mariachi Orgullo de UCI, and a welcome from various Latinx student organizations.
- October 10, 2024, 3-4:30 p.m.: “Dignity by Fire: Dismantling Arizona’s Anti-Immigrant Machine,” a UC Irvine School of Education Hispanic Heritage Month Lecture by author Randy Parraz. Register here.
- October 21, 2024, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: American Women Quarters Program: Celia Cruz; The 2024 Celia Cruz Quarter is the 14th coin in the American Women Quarters™ program. Celia Cruz was a Cuban American singer, cultural icon, and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Join this event to learn more about the American Women Quarters™ program and the life and work of Celia Cruz.
- November 4, 2024: Join the UCI School of Social Ecology, Northgate González Market, and other campus and community partners at this year’s Día de los Muertos celebration at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.
Campus Resources
- UC Irvine’s Latinx Resource Center (LRC) celebrates their fifth anniversary this year and was recently named a 2024 Program to Watch by Excelencia in Education. The Center offers resources, programs, and a space where cultura, arte, and academia are interconnected.
- The UCI Latinx Resources Database is a collaborative initiative among the Latinx Resource Center, the Center for Educational Partnerships, and the UCI-OC Alliance. The database catalogues more than 135 services, programs, and resources at UC Irvine dedicated to enhancing the Latino/a student experience.
- UCI Libraries has an extensive collection of books, films, archival materials, and other resources to support academic study, learning, and celebration, including the Celebrating One and All: Hispanic Heritage research guide.
Departments, Programs, and Centers
Organizations and Campus Groups
- UC Irvine has multiple student organizations, professional associations, and campus groups offering opportunities for support and community engagement for Latinx students. Find more information in the UCI Latinx Resources Database or through CampusGroups.
- The Chican@/Latin@ Staff Association provides a social support network and serves as an advocacy group for the Chicano/Latino campus community.
- The UC Irvine Latino Alumni Chapter provides professional and social networking opportunities for UCI Latino alumni and mentorship for current UCI students.