VCU news

By Brian McNeill

In celebration of Latinx Heritage Month, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs will host a variety of virtual and in-person events at Virginia Commonwealth University from Sept. 17 to Oct. 15.

“The Latinx student population at VCU has grown over the past few years (about 9% in 2019), and it remains imperative to craft programs that center on the needs and voices of this community,” said Myriam T. Kadeba, Ph.D., director of OMSA. “This year’s events lineup has a bit of something for everyone.”

The events were organized by the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs Latinx Heritage Month 2021 planning committee, which includes representatives from the Division of Student Affairs, including the VCU Student Media Center, University Student Commons and Activities, VCU Recreation and Well-Being, and the Dean of Students Office.

The events will include celebratory cultural events, such as a Latin dance nights series, as well as events with a focus on education and debunking misconceptions about the Latinx community, events that emphasize academic success in the Latinx community, and events focused on connecting VCU and the greater community.

“We hope that the VCU Latinx community is able to see itself reflected in the programs offered, and we look forward to celebrating with VCU,” Kadeba said.

VCU’s celebration is part of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which aims to honor the achievements and contributions of Latinos, as well as celebrating the community’s diversity and richness, said Gabriela Leon-Perez, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology in the College of Humanities and Sciences and a member of the planning committee.

“Latinos have played a crucial role in making this country what it is today. From the food that we have in the grocery stores thanks to the physically intensive labor of predominantly Latino farm workers to singers and actors to people representing us in Congress,” Leon-Perez said. “Today we take for granted that there is a group of people labeled Hispanics or Latinos — a large group of people with origins in Latin America that mostly speak Spanish. But this is not the way that they were thought of for many years. The push to recognize the contributions of the Latino community gained momentum throughout the 1960s when the civil rights movement was at its peak and there was a growing awareness of the United States’ multicultural identities.”

The full list of events is below. To register, please visit: https://linktr.ee/vcuomsa

Latin dance night: Salsa and chacha
Friday, Sept. 17, 5-7 p.m., Park Plaza

El pueblo unido: The history of Latinx Heritage Month and what it means today
Tuesday, Sept. 21, 1-2 p.m., Zoom

The Afro-Latinx experience in the greater Richmond area
Wednesday, Sept. 22, Noon, Zoom

Language into music: The Latin beats
Thursday, Sept. 23, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Zoom

Latin dance night: Bachata
Friday, Sept. 24, 5-7 p.m., Park Plaza

Being my own boss: Redefining career paths with Ron Martinez of Crawlspace Booking and Alex Zavaleta of Charm School
Wednesday, Sept. 29, 6-7:30 p.m., Zoom

Latin dance night: Merengue and cumbia
Friday, Oct. 1, 5-7 p.m., Park Plaza

Cooking by camera: Cocina y comunidad
Sunday, Oct. 3, 3-4 p.m., Zoom

Gentle nutrition and intuitive movement
Tuesday, Oct. 5, Noon-1:30 p.m., Zoom

Myths and misconceptions about Latinx students
Wednesday, Oct. 6, 3-4 p.m., Zoom

Latinx precarity, permissibility and persistence
Thursday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m., Zoom

Sirviendo a la comunidad: A conversation with organizations that serve Virginia’s Latinx community
Friday, Oct. 8, 2-3 p.m., Zoom

Latin dance night: Tango and Zumba
Friday, Oct. 8, 5-7 p.m., Park Plaza

Latine in comics: Forgotten characters and the importance of representation
Saturday, Oct. 9, 1-2:30 p.m., Zoom

Supporting academic success in Latino/Latinx communities
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 4-5 p.m., Zoom

Latin dance night finale
Friday, Oct. 15, 5-7 p.m., Park Plaza