MCC has a great lineup of events for Hispanic Heritage Month in the US, Sept. 15-Oct. 15, a celebration of “the histories, cultures and contributions of American[s] … whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America” (https://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/). The start date of Sept. 15 marks the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; Sept. 16 and 18 are the anniversaries of independence for two more, Mexico and Chile.
According to the US Bureau of the Census, as of April 1, 2010, people of Hispanic origin represent the largest ethnic or racial minority in the US, with 50.5 million, or 16.3% of the total population, plus the 3.7 million residents of the US territory of Puerto Rico. They are also the fastest-growing minority group in the US. At MCC, Hispanic and Latino/a students represented 7% of the student population in 2010, according to the MCC Office of Institutional Research, with 1,331 total full-time and part-time students.
Hispanic and Latino/a Americans contribute a lot to the Rochester area through organizations and programs such as the Rochester Hispanic Business Association, Latinas Unidas, the United Way’s Latino Leadership Development Program, and the annual Puerto Rican Festival and Carifest. The RHBA recognized MCC’s Dr. Emeterio “Pete” Otero, Executive Dean of the Damon City Campus, as 2011 Hispanic Business Person of the Year. Many other MCC faculty, staff, and students are involved in activities related to their heritage. MCC’s Latin Pride student club is currently reorganizing, and MCC faculty and staff formed a Latino employees’ network a few years ago, Professional Latinos United for Success (PLUS), which has sponsored many activities.
If you’re interested in MCC’s events for Hispanic Heritage Month, all of which are open to the public, please follow this link to the MCC Diversity Calendar for September and October. You’ll find several opportunities to learn more about Rochester’s Hispanic heritage and to meet some of Rochester’s Latino/a leaders.
This is part of a monthly series of articles from the Diversity Council about topics related to diversity and multiculturalism.
Debbie Mohr
ETS: Libraries (for the Diversity Council)
09/13/2011 |