Cal State San Bernardino will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a full schedule of events and activities that showcase the richness of its diverse university community. The celebration runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and highlights Hispanic and Latinx culture through food, music, art, scholarship and community gatherings.

The objective of Hispanic Heritage Month is to provide the CSUSB community with opportunities to explore and engage with Hispanic and Latinx traditions, histories and contemporary voices.

Opening Event

  • ALFSS Bienvenida – Hispanic Heritage Month Opening Ceremony, Sept. 16, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Santos Manuel Student Union South Event Center. An annual welcome event featuring music, food and community.

Events & Activities Throughout the Month

  • Book Giveaway: “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents,” Sept. 15, noon-1 p.m., CSUSB’s John M. Pfau Library and the Palm Desert Campus Library. Free copies of Julia Alvarez’s acclaimed novel available while supplies last.
  • Salsa & Salsa, Sept. 15, Palm Desert Campus.
  • Nuestro Orgullo: Juntos en Artivismo, Sept. 16, 3-5 p.m., SMSU North Pub Garden. An afternoon of cultural pride and activism through art, hosted by the Queer and Transgender Resource Center.
  • Mini Piñata Making, Sept. 17, noon-2 p.m., The Retreat, SMSU South. Students can design their own mini piñatas in this hands-on creative activity.
  • Hispanic Heritage Month Book Display, Sept. 16-20, John M. Pfau Library. A curated book display highlighting works by Hispanic and Latinx authors.
  • Guatemalan Worry Less Dolls, Sept. 23, Palm Desert Campus. Guatemalan worry dolls, or Muñecas Quitapenas, are small, handcrafted figures made by artisans in Guatemala, used to help people, especially children, cope with anxiety and fear.
  • Lotería, Pan Dulce, y Poder, Oct. 2, 4-6 p.m., Latinx Resource Center, SMSU North.
  • Latino Education and Advocacy Days (LEAD) Summit XIV, Oct. 3, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., SMSU South. The annual summit explores “Hispanic Serving Institutions: Past, Present, Future” through panels and keynote speakers.
  • Somos CSUSB, Oct. 14, 4-7 p.m., SMSU North Patio. An outdoor celebration with food, music and connection.
  • Normalizing Inequality: How Californians Make Sense of the Growing Divide. Oct. 16, 12-1:15 p.m., John M. Pfau Library, room 4005.

Initially celebrated as Hispanic Heritage Week, it was first established in 1968 by legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Edward R. Roybal and signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson. In 1988, the celebration was expanded to a 30-day period by legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Esteban Torres and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. Sept. 15 was chosen as the start date because it marks the independence anniversaries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico, Chile and Belize celebrate their independence days shortly thereafter, on Sept. 16, Sept. 18 and Sept. 21, respectively.

For more information and updates, visit the JEDI Community & Cultural Centers at CSUSB Instagram account. 

Hispanic Heritage Month flyer