Huerta to headline Hispanic Heritage Month

Longtime civil rights activist Dolores Huerta will share her experiences and insights with University of North Georgia (UNG) students, faculty, staff and the community as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Huerta will speak on a Zoom call scheduled for noon Oct. 13, and watch parties will be held in Cumming (Room 208), Dahlonega (Hoag Auditorium), Gainesville (Robinson Ballroom) and Oconee (Room 581). Sign-ups are available through Zoom.

"This event and our other Hispanic Heritage Month events can continue the overall conversation about the importance of the Latinx community," Wade Manora Jr., director of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA), said. "Students will be inspired to learn more about the Latinx community and their experiences."

This event and our other Hispanic Heritage Month events can continue the overall conversation about the importance of the Latinx community. Students will be inspired to learn more about the Latinx community and their experiences.

Wade Manora Jr.

Director of Multicultural Student Affairs

UNG will also hold a Hispanic Heritage Month panel discussion at noon Sept. 22 on Zoom, featuring:

• Noemi Nolasco, president of Latin American Student Organization (LASO)
• Nathalia Ingles, president of Latino Student Association (LSA)
• Thalia Escobedo, College Assistance Migrant Program retention coordinator
• Alvaro Torres-Calderon, associate professor of Spanish
• Genesis Castro, network and program manager for Latino Community Fund
• Andre Gonzales, bilingual mortgage loan originator at Homestar Financial Corporation

LASO and the LSA are working along with MSA to host events for Hispanic Heritage Month. Nolasco, who is pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Spanish language and literature, is eager to gain new perspective from Huerta.

"She's somebody that my parents look up to for everything that she's done. Now we're going to hear from her," the junior from Atlanta, Georgia, said. "She will speak her mind. She speaks for what she believes in."

Ingles, a junior from Buford, Georgia, is pursuing a degree in communication with a concentration in public relations. She is eager to share her culture.

"We're open to anyone and everyone who wants to join these events," Ingles said. "That's one of the things I love about Latino culture. We're so welcoming, and I want to showcase that to UNG."

Hispanic Heritage Month begins Sept. 15 to mark the anniversary of the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexican Independence Day follows on Sept. 16 and Chile's is Sept. 18.

• Sept. 15: Latino Student Association/Migrant Student Union Independence Day celebration, noon, Gainesville Campus volleyball court
• Sept. 16: Movie Night, "Walkout," 5 p.m., Hoag ABC Rooms, Dahlonega Campus
• Sept. 16: Community potluck, 7 p.m., Hoag ABC rooms, Dahlonega Campus
• Sept. 23: Movie Night, "Viva," 5 p.m., Robinson Ballroom in Student Center, Gainesville Campus
• Sept. 28: Karaoke Night, 6 p.m., Robinson Ballroom, Gainesville Campus
• Sept. 29: Hispanic Heritage Month Kahoot trivia virtual event, noon
• Sept. 30: Discussion night: Café con Pan, 7 p.m., Hoag ABC Rooms, Dahlonega Campus
• Oct. 4: Latinx Community Space, noon, Dahlonega and Gainesville Multicultural Student Affairs offices
• Oct. 4, 6 and 8: Hispanic Heritage Month speech tournament (collaboration with speech and debate clubs), noon, Nesbitt Academic Building, room TBA, Gainesville Campus
• Oct. 7: Culture Expo, Hoag ABC Rooms, Dahlonega Campus, 7 p.m., Hoag ABC Rooms, Dahlonega Campus
• Oct. 14: Latin Fever Dance, 7 p.m., Hoag ABC Rooms, Dahlonega Campus