The campus community is invited to take part in several activities this fall celebrating Latino/a/e Heritage Month, with opportunities to hear personal stories, enjoy live music and traditional food and create Mexican folk art.

Unless noted, events are free and RSVPs are not required.

Our Voices Reading Series – Monday, Sept. 21
The monthlong celebration kicks off Monday, Sept. 21, at noon in the Campus Center, East Wing, with the Our Voices Reading Series. Student life and leadership development, in collaboration with the Hayden Memorial Library, will host the event to commemorate Latino/a/e Heritage Month through the power of words and storytelling. Attendees will explore stories, poetry and personal narratives that illuminate Latino/a/e experiences, traditions and perspectives across generations.

Bienvenida – Thursday, Sept. 24
On Thursday, Sept. 24, Mi Gente Scholars will host Bienvenida from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Campus Mall. The event honors the college's designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and is open to all students and employees. Attendees will enjoy music, cultural performances, food and activities, and they are encouraged to wear traditional or cultural attire. Complementary lunch and snacks will be provided, along with opportunities to learn about student resources on campus.

On a Shoestring: Selections from the Enrique Serrato Collection – Sept. 22-March 3
In collaboration with the family of the late local art collector Enrique Serrato, the Citrus College Art Gallery will feature a selection of artwork from his vast and eclectic collection. The exhibit includes pieces primarily by Los Angeles-based Chicano artists and honors Serrato's passion for supporting the arts. There will be an opening reception on Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Chicano Art and the Enrique Serrato Collection Speaker Program – Tuesday, Sept. 29
Citrus College art historian Lori Rusch will discuss what it means to be a collector of art on Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in VA 130. Ceramics artist Rey Mora, who is a Citrus College alumnus, will show selections from the Enrique Serrato art collection. He will also discuss his friendship with the collector, as well as Serrato's connection to the Chicano art scene of Los Angeles.

Anything for Salinas: A Tribute to Selena – Sunday, Oct. 4
Anything for Salinas is a high-energy tribute band dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. With powerful vocals, impressive choreography and incredible musicianship, they bring all of Selena's hits to life. Note: This is a ticketed event. Visit the Haugh Performing Arts Center website for more details.

From HSI Designation to Servingness: Enacting Equity at Citrus College – Tuesday, Oct. 6
The Latinx Advisory Workgroup and Professional Learning Committee will host a virtual gathering titled, "From HSI Designation to Servingness: Enacting Equity at Citrus College," on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 1:30-3 p.m. via Zoom. Facilitated by Desiree "dr. dez" Zuniga, a faculty member at Pasadena City College, the interactive professional development session introduces servingness as a framework for examining how institutional practices connect to student outcomes. Drawing on the multidimensional servingness framework developed by Garcia, Núñez and Sansone in 2019, attendees will explore academic and nonacademic outcomes, validating and racialized experiences and questions of belonging, access and success for Latine students.

    • Zoom Link
    • Meeting ID: 837 1471 2789
    • Passcode: 141937

Chicano Art Film Series: "Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire" – Wednesday, Oct. 7
Hosted by the college's visual arts and ethnic studies programs, this documentary about Carlos Almaraz will screen Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 2:45-5 p.m. in VA 130, in conjunction with On a Shoestring: Selections from the Enrique Serrato Collection, on view in the Art Gallery. Almaraz, whose work is included in the Serrato collection, was one of the founders of Los Four, an influential Chicano artist collective in Los Angeles that began in 1974.

Alebrije Making Event – Monday, Oct. 12
Student life and leadership development will close out Latino/a/e Heritage Month with an Alebrije Making Event on Monday, Oct. 12, at 11:30 a.m. in the Campus Center, East Wing. Attendees will immerse themselves in the colors, traditions and symbolism of Día de Muertos while crafting their own alebrije, which are brightly colored Mexican folk-art sculptures known for combining features of real and mythical animals into imaginative creatures.

Chicano Art Film Series: Short Films About Chicano Art – Wednesday, Oct. 14
Presented by the college's visual arts and ethnic studies programs, a series of short films will screen on Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 2:45-5 p.m. in VA 130, in conjunction with On a Shoestring: Selections from the Enrique Serrato Collection, on view in the Art Gallery. The shorts feature art collector Enrique Serrato, as well as another local collector of Chicano art, Cheech Marin, as told through the perspective of artists whose work he has collected and included in the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture at the Riverside Art Museum.