STONY BROOK, NY—October 3, 2022—Stony Brook University commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) by celebrating Hispanic and Latino Americans and their contributions to the United States in all major fields, including higher education. The university will showcase the talents and topics relevant to community leaders, faculty, staff and students around significant themes in Latinx culture. This is the 33rd annual celebration and this year’s theme is “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation/Unidos: Inclusividad para una nación más fuerte.”
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
“Our Latino and Latinx students, faculty and staff are essential to Stony Brook’s research and education mission,” said Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis. “We are fortunate to have a thriving and dynamic Latino and Latinx community at Stony Brook, which enriches every aspect of our campus community.”
The events, scheduled from October 5 – November 1, 2022 will feature a mixture of community activities that include celebrations, performances, panel discussions, culinary experiences, a faculty/staff mixer as well as entertainment:
Wednesday: October 5, 1-2:30pm: Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Opening Ceremony
The 33rd Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Opening Ceremony will feature guest speaker, Dr. Miguel Garcia-Diaz, Associate Dean, Graduate School and will include student performers, food and festivities.
Location: SAC Ballroom A: Open to the Stony Brook University community (reservation required).
Saturday: October 15, 3pm: Disney’s Encanto Movie
Deep in the Colombian mountains, the Madrigal family possesses an extraordinary secret. Each member of the family is able to perform magic except 15-year-old Mirabel, who does not seem to possess any unusual abilities and seeks her place in the world. This presentation is a collaboration with the Staller Center for the Arts and the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee.
Location: Staller Center for the Arts: Open to Stony Brook University students (reservation required).
Wednesday, October 19. 4-5pm: Panel Discussion: Deported: A Family Divided
University Libraries will host this panel discussion around the exhibit Deported: A Family Divided. This exhibit is the second installation of an exhibition that chronicles the life of the Quintana-Salazar family as they navigate deportation policies and their impact on the family.
Location: Melville Library Central Reading Room on the First Floor. Open to the Stony Brook University community (reservation required).
Wednesday, October 26, 12-1pm; 5-6pm; and 6-8pm: Meet Celebrity Chef Kelvin Fernandez
Celebrity Chef Kelvin Fernandez (Food Network’s Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay and FYI Networks’ Man vs. Child) will share his Dominican heritage and cuisine with the Stony Brook community at these events:
- 12-1pm: Dominican Cooking Demonstration and Teaching Kitchen at Roth Food Court
- 5-6pm: Student Cooking Competition at East Side Dining
- 6-8pm: Dine-in Dinner and Meet & Greet at East Side Dining
Locations: Roth Food Court and East Side Dining. (Students interested in participating in the competition must sign up: contact Angela Agnello at angela.agnello@stonybrook.edu)
In addition, the Faculty Student Association (FSA) is offering an extensive selection of special menus, Global Nights, international breakfasts and guest chefs for Hispanic Heritage Month. Students can go to
the FSA website for more information on these programs and meals.
Wednesday, October 26, 4:30-6pm: Latinx, Latine, Hispanic—What’s the Difference? Community Plática
The Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) presents this community talk about the cultural differences between the terms ‘Latinx,’ ‘Latine’ and ‘Hispanic’ in American culture.
Location: LACS Gallery, Social & Behavioral Sciences Building, Room N-320. Open to the Stony Brook University community.
Thursday, October 27, 4-6pm: Hispanic Month Faculty and Staff Mixer
The Union Universitaria Latinoamericana (UUL) will host a Faculty and Staff networking and support mixer.
Location: United Nationalities in Transcending Ideologies (UNITI) Cultural Center Conference Room in the Student Union. Open to the Stony Brook University community.
Tuesday, November 1, 3-5pm: Hispanic Heritage Month Closing Ceremony: 33rd Annual Awards
The closing ceremony will provide recognition for students, faculty and staff who have made significant contributions to the Latino community at Stony Brook and feature a traditional dinner and fundraising raffle. Guest speaker to be announced.
Location: SAC Ballroom A. Open to the Stony Brook University community (reservation required)
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About Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University — New York’s flagship university and No. 1 public university — is going far beyond the expectations of today’s public universities. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. With nearly 26,000 students, more than 2,800 faculty members, more than 200,000 alumni, a premier academic health center and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs, Stony Brook is a research-intensive distinguished center of innovation dedicated to addressing the world’s biggest challenges. The university embraces its mission to provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and professional education of the highest quality, and is ranked among the top 35 public universities by Forbes and one of the top 100 universities in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges listing. Fostering a commitment to academic research and intellectual endeavors, Stony Brook’s membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places it among the top 65 research institutions in North America. The university’s distinguished faculty have earned esteemed awards such as the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize and the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics. Stony Brook has the responsibility of co-managing Brookhaven National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy — one of only eight universities with a role in running a national laboratory. Providing economic growth for neighboring communities and the wider geographic region, the university totals an impressive $7.23 billion in increased economic output on Long Island. Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/stonybrooku/) and Twitter(@stonybrooku)
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