Latinx Heritage Month 2024
Mural is by local artist/muralist Danielle Villareal, in collaboration with the Visual Arts Department and the Center for Mexican American Studies. It serves as a visual metaphor depicting the cultural bridge between IJͼ and the city of Seguin. It constitutes the first permanent art installation in the university’s history representing the IJͼ Mexican American community, which currently makes up just under half the student body.
The observance takes place during National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated Sept. 15 - Oct. 15. HSIs are defined as having 25% or more undergraduate Hispanic student enrollment. IJͼ's student body is currently 44% Hispanic with more than half of all Bulldogs identifying as first-generation or the first person in their family to attend college.
Meet the Artist: Joe Garcia III: "Art Comes to Life" Photo Exhibit | September 12th | 4:00–6:00 PM | Scheuch Fine Arts Building
A brand-new art exhibit is opening in Schuech Fine Art Center's Annetta Kraushaar Gallery this Thursday. Austin artist Joe García III says his art is influenced by a variety of cultures and subcultures.
The exhibit, called Joe García’s Art Comes to Life, is sponsored by IJͼ's Mexican American Student Association (MASA) and will run from September 12 through November 25. An opening reception will be held on Thursday from 3:30-6 p.m. and all are welcome!
La Familia Picnic and Party | September 14th | 11:00 AM–3:00 PM at IJͼ Alumni Plaza & Langner Parking Lot
Join MASA and CMAS for a fun-filled family picnic and party on Saturday, September 14th!
You'll enjoy delicious free food, bounce houses, water activities, and a variety of vendors to browse. We've got a 25-foot screen and will be streaming football, so bring your family and come on over!
September 17 | 1:00-1:45 pm PT
Addressing the "All Students" Question in your HSI with Dr. Melissa Salazar and Jasmine Nunley
Join us for this FREE webinar, the first in our series of Burning Questions Webinars that address some common issues that arise when doing HSI work.
In this inaugural webinar, we will explore a thought-provoking burning question that we often hear: Why should we focus on and center our Latinx/e students? What about "all students"?
We will discuss the different ways we go about answering this question, the different reasons it comes up, and offer you ideas on how you might address this question in your own context. Bring your colleagues: the information is geared towards anyone working in an emerging or current HSI (and much of the discussion is relevant to MSIs as well!) See you there!
Meet the Artist: Debora Keutzpal Vasquez | September 19th | 6:00 PM | Teatro de Artes Cultural Art Center
Teatro is excited to bring Debora Kuetzpal Vasquez to Teatro’s Cultural Arts Center on Thursday, September 19, 2024, 6PM for a Meet & Greet along with presentation of her work. Debora is currently the artist in residence for the NEA Mexican American/ Tejano visual arts installment. This meet and greet along with presentation will be a chance for the Seguin community to get to know Debora, her work, and her journey of becoming the artist she is today.
This will also be an opportunity for the community to learn more about the NEA Our Town project. The evening will also include a small reception and Debora will be selling her artwork as well. Community members may come into Teatro to view Debora’s paintings starting on September 9, 2024 as a part of our National Hispanic Heritage month exhibits.
Debora Kuetzpal is a multimedia Xicanx activist, educator, and business owner from San Antonio, Tx. She earned her Bachelor of Arts-2D and 3-D from Texas Women’s University, and her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin Madison. She now is an associate professor and the head of the visual arts program at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio Tx. She has also received a painting certification from the School of the Chicago Art Institute and a certificate in traditional culture from the Universidad Nahuatl in Ocotepc, Mexico. Her artistic concentration and research remain in exploring the perception of cultural hybridity. The three main foci are 1.) Postmodern and global approaches to contemporary art, 2.) Indigenous (i.e. Native American, Chicana, and African Spirituality) Process concerning ecological balance through traditional medium and, 3.) Xicanx feminist perspective in creating characters that contribute to academic tenacity through multi-generational relationships. Throughout her career, she has felt it is important to give students and community a more objective perspective to the inequity of the world, especially the art world. Debora’s life mission is to offer students and the community a Xanax feminist perspective to economic sustainability in the arts.
Chapel with Leslie Flores | September 20th | 10:00 AM- 10:20 AM | Chapel
Leslie Flores, a proud native of the Rio Grande Valley and alumna of IJͼ (IJͼ), currently serves as the Director of Title IX Services and Equity Compliance at IJͼ.
Her message will celebrate the start of Latinx Heritage Month with a brief reflection on the deep connections between identity, community, and pride in her roots.
September 23 | 12-12:45 pm PT
Get to know the ESCALA’s HSI Practitioner Conocimientos Series (PCS) with Suzi Reyes and Debbie Reyes
This one's for all our dedicated HSI staff! Familiarize yourself with ESCALA’s Practitioner Conocimientos Series (PCS). This program is compromised of 6 asynchronous of research-backed frameworks and conocimientos (knowledge) to help you become a better HSI practitioner. Learn how to utilize the program in a cohort model among large groups of staff and some best practices to increase engagement. Stay until the end of the webinar to receive a discount code* to register for one or more modules!
*Discount can only be applied for those who attend the webinar.
First Gen Lunch | September 24th | 11:55 AM-12:45 PM | Dunne Conference Room
Join us in Dunne Conference room. Fajita lunch for all First Gen faculty, staff and students. We encourage you to ask our staff and faculty questions about being first generation.
October 3rd | 9-9:45 am PT
Teaching STEM in Hispanic Serving Institutions with Dr. Margarita Otero-Diaz
This one is for all our higher education STEM practitioners serving Latinx/é students! Learn more about ESCALA’s STEM-X Course in Culturally Responsive Practices for STEM-HSI Faculty This research-based course, designed and facilitated by STEM faculty in 2 and 4-year HSIs, features practical examples of high-impact practices that disproportionately benefit Latinx/é students. We will share data from our course pre and post surveys to show how the course transforms classroom experiences for Latinx/e students, and empowers STEM practitioners into change agents at their institutions.
Meet the Artist: Ruben Esquivel | October 3rd | 6:00 PM | Teatro de Artes Cultural Art Center
Teatro is excited to bring Ruben Esquivel to Teatro’s Cultural Arts Center on Thursday, October 3, 2024, 6PM for a Meet & Greet along with presentation of his work. Ruben is currently the artist in residence for the NEA Native American/Indigenous visual arts installment. This meet and greet along with presentation will be a chance for the Seguin community to get to know Ruben, his work, and his journey of becoming the artist he is today. This will also be an opportunity for the community to learn more about the NEA Our Town project. The evening will also include a small reception and Ruben will be sharing all about his artwork and where you can see it throughout Texas. He was just recently named Best of Austin 2024 Best Muralist by the Austin Chronicle.
Ruben Esquivel is a native of Austin with ties to Seguin. As a young man he recalls spending lots of time in Seguin fishing and swimming on the Guadalupe River with his family on trips from Austin. He comes to us with 11 years of experience in creating art that honors the experiences and contributions of historically underrepresented communities. He brings passion and expertise to this project along with a vast curriculum vitae of projects to include mural commissions such as Old Austin, Alma Ancestral, Jayce and Lexi Healing Uvalde Mural Projects, Creek Show Title Piece Installation, Frida and Lotus Flower Dreams Private Commissions, and most recently the Native American Heritage Bus Wraps Design for Capital Metro to name a few. Ruben expressed the following, “I am deeply honored to have been chosen as the NEA Our Town Artist in Residence. It is a privilege to tell the rich and diverse stories of Seguin’s indigenous communities through my work. I look forward to creating a piece that celebrates their history, resilience, and enduring legacy in this vibrant city.”
Chapel with Mariachi Oro y Negro | October 4th | 10 a.m.
Join IJͼ's mariachi band for a special chapel performance. Mariachi Oro y Negro is dedicated to the study and performance of traditional genres of mariachi music including but not limited to sones, ranchera, huapango, bolero, polka ect.
Our members are immersed in learning more about Latin culture through music; we welcome members of all backgrounds and musical knowledge.
October 10 | 9-9:45 am PT
Did you miss the "All Students in HSIs" webinar in Sept? In Case You Missed It....
Join us again for this FREE webinar, the first in our series of Burning Questions Webinars that address some common issues that arise when doing HSI work. In this webinar we explore a thought-provoking burning question that we often hear: "Why should we focus on and center our Latinx/e students? What about all students?"
We will discuss the different ways we go about answering this question, the different reasons it comes up, and offer you ideas on how you might address this question in your own context. Bring your colleagues: the information is geared towards anyone working in an emerging or current HSI (and much of the discussion is relevant to MSIs as well!) See you there!
Latino Poetry: "Places We Call Home" Reading & Discussion with Dr. Carmen Tafolla | October 10th | 6:00 PM | Teatro de Artes Cultural Art Center
Teatro is excited to be introducing our Latino Poetry Literary Series. Teatro recently was awarded a grant from the Library of America to produce a three part series of poetry programming centered around the newly released, Latino Poetry, The Library of America Anthology. For nearly five centuries, the rich tapestry of Latino poetry has been woven from a wealth of languages and cultures—a “tremendous continental MIXTURAO,” in the words of the poet Tato Laviera.
Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin is looking forward to welcoming the Seguin community to our first installment of the series and we are thrilled to have famous poet and author Dr. Carmen Tafolla, serve as the poet scholar for the evening! This event will take place at Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin’s Cultural Arts Center located at 921 W. New Braunfels St. Seguin, TX. The Poetry night will be held on Thursday, October 10, 2024, 6PM. The evening will include Latino poetry readings and discussion with acclaimed poet, author, and anthology collaborator, Dr. Carmen Tafolla, moderated by Dr. Yvonne M. De La Rosa. Dr. Tafolla will read her acclaimed "Mujeres del Rebozo Rojo" with a deep dive into the poem for discussion. They will also read 3-5 more poems from the Latino Poetry Anthology and open the floor for discussion. The evening will close with a Q&A with the poet. Dr. Tafolla will also have on hand her books to sell and sign.
Who is Dr. Carmen Tafolla? Dr. Tafolla is a native of San Antonio’s West side barrio, a poet, storyteller, performance artist, motivational speaker, cultural activist, and was the first female director of IJͼ’s Center for Mexican American Studies department. The poetry reading and discussion will revolve around these following humanities themes: Ancestry & Identity, Language, Voice & Resistance, First & Second Homes, Family & Community, Music & Performance, and lastly labor. These themes will not only serve as a vehicle of learning for all who attend but also as a space for sharing about your own lives. After the discussion there will be a live reading from Dr. Tafolla herself of her poem Mujeres del Rebozo. We look forward to you joining us for this night of bringing our community together through poetry.
Pláticas (Conversations) Series | October 12th | 10:00-3:30 PM | Tschoepe Hall Foyer
Sign up for the Pláticas Workshop Series sponsored by HSI-Title V: BUENOS Center for Excellence. This is an exciting, expert-led initiative designed to foster academic and professional growth for students at IJͼ. Rooted in the spirit of Pláticas—the Spanish word for conversations—these workshops offer a fantastic opportunity for students to enhance their skills through engaging and interactive discussions with IJͼ faculty and staff.
Please email all questions to Cesar Silva at csilva@tlu.edu.