Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, will join colleges across the United States this fall when it celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.
The observance of Hispanic Heritage Month was initiated by Congress in 1968 with the purpose of celebrating the diverse culture, tradition, and invaluable contributions of Hispanic and Latino people in the United States.
“It’s a celebration that has been around for quite some time,” said Dr. Elba Birmingham-Pokorny, professor of Spanish at SAU. “I had organized and coordinated this event at my previous institution. I thought with the change in demographics in Arkansas, it was time to offer the Hispanic Celebration here at SAU. We have a responsibility to promote a sense of pride in the heritage of the Hispanic students at SAU.
“We have a lot of wonderful activities planned throughout the month that we think the students and community will enjoy,” continued Pokorny. “We’re hoping that this program will give a number of people from the community as well as high school students the opportunity to come to the SAU campus and be introduced to the Hispanic culture.”
The month-long celebration will include films, a panel discussion, and a keynote speaker for the second consecutive year.
“Last year, we began a tradition of having a keynote speaker,” explained Pokorny. “The students found it extremely interesting.”
This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Diana Risk, assistant professor of Spanish at Virginia Wesleyan University. The lecture is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 15, from 2:10 until 3:30 p.m. in the Foundation Hall in the Reynolds Center at SAU.
“Dr. Risk is Hispanic, and she will be giving a definition of who is Hispanic and the different names used in this culture
Risk attended Mexico’s National Autonomous University, obtained her Master of Arts from the University of Northern Iowa, and received her Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. She specialized in post-modern Span, and she holds minors in Latin American poetry and the Spanish Golden Age. Risk has written about prominent Spanish and Mexican authors, indigenous issues, and the evolving nature of Hispanic culture in the United States. She has presented her research in numerous national and international conferences as well as in her area.
In addition to the keynote address, a panel discussion will be held on Friday, Sept. 16, from 7-9 p.m. in Foundation Hall. The topic of the discussion is “The Hispanic Presence in Arkansas: Challenges and Benefits.”
Pokorny will serve as the moderator. Panelists include Risk; Waylon Brown, owner of All Seasons Travel Agency in Magnolia; Enelda Cary, Spanish teacher at Smackover High School; Dr. Cesar Compadre, professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Arkansas Medical School in Little Rock; Irma-Garcia-White, Spanish teacher at Camden Fairview and 4th Congressional District liaison minority; Janice Penney, director of the Southwest Arkansas Migrant Education Cooperative; Edna Isela Ramierez, Spanish court interpreter; and Jorge Villegas, of the Art Education Program in El Dorado.
Other events during the month include the movies “Nueve Reinas” on Sept. 30 and “Tortilla Soup” on Oct. 12 for Spanish composition and conversation students at SAU, and a trip to the Old State House Museum on Oct. 28 to view the exhibit “Arkansas and the Mexican-American War.”
Both the keynote address and the panel discussion are free and open to the public. Pokorny said that both events are for everyone, not just Spanish majors.
“Those attending don’t necessarily have to be a Spanish major or minor. The just have to be interested in the Hispanic culture,” said Pokorny. “We live in a global society. Students who don’t have the opportunity to travel abroad can immerse themselves in the Hispanic culture right here during the Hispanic Heritage Month.”
For more information about Hispanic Heritage Month at SAU, call (870) 235-4206.
