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During the months of September and October, the University of North Georgia (̨��swag) Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) will recognize cultural and historic contributions of people of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin as part of Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month. 

"Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to learn more about the challenges that our ancestors faced and triumphed," Mauricio Picazo-Garcia, Latino Student Association (LSA) president, said. "It offers a sense of belonging at ̨��swag when LSA celebrates their annual Fiestas Patrias event to show students that their country and culture is recognized and honored."

This year LSA is hosting its Fiestas Patrias event, National Holidays, Sept. 22 to begin the festivities.

Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to learn more about the challenges that our ancestors faced and triumphed. It offers a sense of belonging at ̨��swag when LSA celebrates their annual Fiestas Patrias event to show students that their country and culture is recognized and honored.

Mauricio Picazo-Garcia

Latino Student Association president

Kyle Murphy, Associate Director of Multicultural Student Affairs will host a Cultural Competence Co-Curricular Certificate presentation on the use of the terms Hispanic vs Latino/a/x/e at noon Sept. 20 via Zoom at noon.

MSA is collaborating with the Department of Visual Arts to organize the 2023 Hispanic Heritage Month Art Exhibition: "Celebrating Connections" from Sept. 21 to Oct. 19. There will be a reception and award ceremony from 4-6 p.m. Sept. 27 in the Library Technology Center at the Dahlonega Campus. 

The exhibit will have varying hours for each day of the week:

• Monday through Thursday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Friday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday: 11 a.m. to midnight

"I am looking forward to kicking off the academic year celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Folks of Hispanic, Latino/a/x descent have contributed a great deal to our country, our region and the University of North Georgia," Dr. Andrew Johnson, MSA director, said. "Our faculty, staff, students, and alumni who are of Hispanic and/or Latino/a/x decent have enriched our campus experience a great deal. Celebrating heritage months is a wonderful way to show our faculty, staff and students who identify with that specific group that we value them as a member of our ̨��swag community."

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities. The month-long celebration originated as a commemorative week when it was first introduced in June of 1968 by California Congressman George E. Brown.

The push to recognize the contributions of the Latinx community had gained momentum throughout the 1960s when the civil rights movement was at its peak and there was a growing awareness of the United States' multicultural identities.