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By Collin Elder, Class of 2023

With 25% of its student population who identify as Latinx/Hispanic, Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) has a lot to celebrate. As such, GGC will observe Hispanic Heritage Month with activities, events and celebrations on its campus from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

Established in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the independence anniversaries of several Latin American nations including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Chile and Belize. It is a time to pay tribute to the ideas and contributions of the Latinx/Hispanic Americans that grow with us, and time to remember the efforts and the triumphs of GGC’s growing population.

Kicking off the month will be the Hispanic Heritage Festival, taking place in the Student Plaza from 11:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sept. 16. There, participants can connect with Latinx history, customs and music, while sampling unique delicacies from various Latin American countries.

Other fun events include Latino dance lessons, where participants can express their pent-up energy by learning Hispanic dance styles, and the Noche de Liderazgo, or Leadership Night, where members of the Latin/Hispanic communities come to network, share management traits and promote best practices in leadership.

Several GGC offices, departments and student clubs are collectively hosting the events, open to students, faculty, staff and the community.

A full listing of the month’s events include:

Hispanic Heritage Festival
Sept. 16, 11:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Student Plaza
An opportunity for the community to learn and embrace Latin American history, traditions, music and food.

Taste of Latin America
Sept. 21 and 28, 11:00 a.m.–3 p.m.
GGC Dining Hall
Get a chance to win great prizes and experiment with new foods.

Arte Latino 
Sept. 23, 1–3 p.m.
Student Plaza
Explore the world of artistic expression with 100 blank canvases and paint provided for participants to tap into their inner creativity.

Latino Dance Lessons
Oct. 5, 6–8:30 p.m.
LVIS, 2nd floor, Student Center
Dance the night away while learning several different styles of dance like the bachata, merengue and salsa.

Noche de Liderazgo
Oct .12, 4:30–7 p.m.
LVIS, 2nd floor, Student Center
Meet and greet with several local community leaders and professionals impacting the Latino/Hispanic communities.

Lean more about these and other campus events on GGC's events calendar.