September 15 marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which recognizes the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. What began as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 has since been expanded into a month-long celebration of all things Hispanic and Latino.

WNMU, an Hispanic Serving Institution and a charter member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, has several activities planned in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The university is kicking off the festivities early with an Hispanic Unity Ball, Hasta la Raiz, on Friday, September 12. At the ball, which is sponsored by MEChA, students will be recognized for their grades, student leadership, and student athlete status. The ball will be held in the WNMU Museum, 7:00–9:00 p.m., with an after-party on the Student Memorial Center Patio 9:00–11:00 p.m.

On September 16, Student Life is hosting a game of Loteria, a traditional Mexican board game of chance, with prizes relevant to Hispanic culture. The game will be 12:00–2:00 p.m. in the Student Life Lounge.

A Hispanic Heritage Fiesta will be held September 19 in the Intramural Gym, sponsored by Con Ganas, a program funded with grant money awarded under the U.S. Department of Education’s Title V Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions program. The event will include Dual Enrollment students from Deming, Cobre and Silver High, WNMU HSI Student Ambassadors, local Chicano Historian Javier Marrufo, Grant County League of United Latin Citizens (LULAC) Council 8003, and the Los Angeles-based art collective Kalli Arte. The event, which runs 10:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., will feature performances from Mariachi Plata and the Deming High Folklorico Group, and there will be an art display and a conversation with the artists hosted by Mónica Ortiz Uribe.

The artists of the Kalli Arte collective will also be conducting a linoleum block printing workshop on Saturday, September 20, in McCray 105. Registration for this event is required.

MEChA will be holding a salsa competition, and in conjunction with the Black Student Union, they will also be hosting a fútbol (soccer) tournament. Dates and times for these events will be announced through social media.

Hispanic Heritage Month runs through October 15.