Rice is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month, which started Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15, by spotlighting the history, contributions and achievements of Latinx communities, especially as they relate to the university and its community.
Several events have been planned to commemorate the month. Among the highlights:
• Fondren Library is marking the 50th anniversary of the Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice (HACER) by showcasing displays that encourage Hispanic students to feel represented on campus and expose others to the beauty of the culture.
• Luis Duno-Gottberg, the Baker College magister and an associate professor of Caribbean and Film Studies, worked with the Baker Diversity Council and the Consulate of Spain in Houston to bring famous flamenco-jazz composer Jorge Pardo to perform on campus. The free concert will be held in the Rice Memorial Center’s Grand Hall Oct. 7.
• The Society of Latino Alumni of Rice (SOLAR) will celebrate 50 years of Latinx and Hispanic life at Rice during the Raíces a Ramas Gala Nov. 5. The event will honor the contributions of University Professor Richard Tapia — who along with 16 students formed Rice’s first student group dedicated to supporting Hispanic life on campus — by raising endowment funds for cultural programming and student enrichment. Visit alumni.rice.edu/raices-ramas for more information.
Other events include a game night, a documentary screening, a display at a Rice football game and more.
Rice’s Office of Multicultural Affairs is coordinating several of the public events. For a full list, visit oma.rice.edu/HHMatRice.