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September 4 , 2009

CSU Dominguez Hills Celebrates Latino Heritage Month With Lectures and Activities

(Carson, CA) – California State University, Dominguez Hills will mark Latina/o Heritage Month with a series of events, beginning with a flamenco performance on Thursday, Sept. 10, and a special lecture by award-winning author Helena María Viramontes on Monday, Sept. 14.

Latina/o Heritage Month (also known as Hispanic Heritage Month) is from September 15 to October 15 and was officially established in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan to celebrate Hispanic heritage and recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the United States. This is the fourth consecutive year that the university has organized activities around this specific commemorative month.

“The 2009 Latina/o Heritage Month at CSUDH commemorates the past while celebrating new horizons for Latinas and Latinos,” said Irene Vásquez, professor and chair of the Chicana/o Studies Department. “The month provides students and the community an opportunity to engage with dynamic and innovative writers, scholars and artists as they offer their perspective on the historical and cultural heritage of Mexican and Latino populations.”

All lectures and events for Latina/o Heritage Month at CSU Dominguez Hills are free and open to the public. The following is a complete listing:

Flamenco performance
Thursday, Sept. 10, 3 to 5 p.m. Palm Courtyard of the Loker Student Union
Southern California-based dance troupe La Sol Flamenco will entertain.

Guest lecture, Helena María Viramontes
Monday, Sept. 14, 2:30 p.m., Loker Student Union ballroom
Author of “The Moths and Other Stories,” “Under the Feet of Jesus,” and “Their Dogs Came with Them,” Viramontes has been lauded for her depiction of Chicano culture. A graduate of University of California, Irvine’s Master of Fine Arts program, she is currently professor of English at Cornell University. She will read from her collection of work.

Protest Music in Latin America
Thursday, Sept. 17, 1-3 p.m., Multicultural Center, Suite 110 Loker Student Union
Dr. Ericka Verba, professor of history at CSU Dominguez Hills, will give a presentation on the Latin American protest music known as nueva canción (new song) that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s.

Women of Color Artists’ Collective, Mujeres de Maiz
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 5 p.m., Loker Student Union ballroom
Utilizing spoken word, poetry and music, this collective underscores the courage and tenacity of Latina and other women of color to strive for social justice and dignity in their daily lives.

Machismo and Hyper-masculinity: diversity chat and film
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 3-5 p.m., Multicultural Center, Suite 110 Loker Student Union
The Multicultural Center will screen “Macho,” a short documentary by Lucinda Broadbent about domestic violence and sexual abuse in Nicaragua. A facilitation discussion about the cultural value of machismo will follow.

Guest lecture, Reyna Grande
Thursday, Oct. 1, 11:30 a.m. Loker Student Union ballroom
Grande is the author of several works, including her debut award-winning novel “Across a Hundred Mountains,” and the forthcoming “Dancing with Butterflies.” She is the recipient of a PEN USA Emerging Voices Fellow and the 2007 American Book Award. She will read from her collection of work.

Guest lecture, Dr. Eloy Rodriguez
Monday, Oct. 19, 11:30 a.m., Loker Student Union ballroom
Rodriguez is a James A. Perkins-endowed professor and research scientist Cornell University. A renowned biologist, Dr. Rodriguez will discuss his latest research projects on indigenous medicinal plants in the Americas.

The month’s events are sponsored by the Chicana/o Studies Department, Chicana/o Studies Staff and Faculty Advisory Committee, Modern Languages Department, the university’s Multicultural Center (MCC), and Associated Students, Inc.

California State University, Dominguez Hills is located at 1000 E. Victoria St. in the city of Carson. Day permits to park in the campus lots are $4 and can be purchased at yellow kiosk machines near each lot.

For more information, call (310) 243-3327 or (310) 243-3070.

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About CSU Dominguez Hills -- California State University, Dominguez Hills is a highly diverse, urban university located in the South Bay, primarily serving the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The university prides itself on its outstanding faculty and friendly, student-centered environment. Known for excellence in teacher education, nursing, psychology, business administration, and digital media arts, new degree programs include computer science, criminal justice, recreation and leisure studies, social work, and communication disorders. On campus is the Home Depot Center, a multi-purpose sports complex that hosts world-class soccer, tennis, track and field, lacrosse, and cycling.

Media Contact:
Amy Bentley-Smith
(310) 243-2455
abentleysmith@csudh.edu

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