U.S. Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 – Oct. 15, recognizes the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans and dedicates an entire month to celebrating their traditions and cultures.

At Wofford, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, along with the support of organizations such as the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS) and the Spanish Honor Society, sponsor various events throughout Hispanic Heritage Month to promote the celebration of various Hispanic cultures on campus.

Sept. 18 was the kickoff for the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration in Burwell. AVI made traditional Hispanic foods like tacos and churros while a DJ played music and called off raffle numbers as students walked to claim their prizes.

Mayra Lomeli-Garcia, a sophomore at Wofford and the President of the Organization of Latin American Students, is originally from Mexico but grew up in Charleston with strong familial ties to Hispanic culture and traditions. “To me, Hispanic Heritage Month means the celebration of the Hispanic culture. The Organization of Latin American Students itself aims to promote the diversity of the Hispanic culture and to help not only the Spanish students on campus, but also aid in informing and celebrating the various Hispanic cultures and language with other Wofford students from other backgrounds,” Lomeli-Garcia stated.

There are still many more events to come for the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration:

• 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 26 in the RSRCA: Artist Ivan Segura will be giving a talk on the role of arts in increasing Hispanic/Latino voices in South Carolina.
• 7 p.m., Thursday, September 27 in Olin Theater: A documentary will be shown and refreshments will be provided by the Spanish Honor Society.
• 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 2in the Greek Pavilion: Latin dance night will be the night to show off your moves! Food will be provided for participants.
• 6 p.m., Thursday, October 4in RSRCA 125: Fredy Madrid, Student Body President, will be sharing the story of his transition from Honduras to the United States
• 4 p.m., Monday, October 8 in Olin Theater: An opportunity to learn from a Latino alumni and current students about what it means to be Latino at Wofford in order to promote a more inclusive community.

These are just a few of the events Wofford offers during Hispanic Heritage Month. More information can be found on the Wofford Daily Announcements or on various posters throughout campus. You won’t want to miss these events!

Photo Caption: Students enjoy their traditional Hispanic food at the Hispanic Heritage Month kick off celebration in Burwell.