Hispanic Heritage speakers to discuss Day of the Dead, empowering Latinos

During Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15–Oct. 15, the UC ANR Latinx & Friends Employee Resource Group invites you to join webinars celebrating Latino contributions, illuminating challenges facing the Latino community and listening to young voices.

Wednesday, Oct. 2, 1 – 2 p.m.: Mathew Sandoval is a cultural historian and recipient of the 2024 “Public Scholar” award from the National Endowment for the Humanities. He will discuss the evolution of Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico and the U.S., exploring its presence in pop culture, media, tourism and commercial spaces, in "The True Meaning of the Day of the Dead and the Cultural Appropriation of the Ancient Mexican Celebration."

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 1 – 2:30 p.m.: Tu Tran, UC ANR associate vice president for business operations, will introduce keynote speaker Erica Alfaro, author and motivational speaker. She will speak about the role of education in empowering Latinos, highlighting accomplishments and areas for growth. In 2019, Alfaro became the first woman in her family to earn a graduate degree. Her graduation photo, showing Alfaro in cap and gown standing in a strawberry field with her farmworker parents, went viral and made headlines.

“Don't miss these opportunities to celebrate and reflect on the dynamic contributions of Latinos in our community,” said Ricardo Vela, manager of UC ANR's News and Information Outreach in Spanish team.

Register for the Zoom events at https://ucanr.edu/HHM2024events.

If you missed Carlos Suarez, state conservationist and leader of the California Natural Resources Conservation Service, discussing the vital role of Latinos in California agriculture, view the recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih89PlYp5Rc.

Javier Diego Jacinto, an academic whose activism and scholarly work intersect with language, race, religion and immigration and are rooted in his Mazatec heritage from Oaxaca, Mexico, shed light on the profound economic impact and ongoing challenges facing Latinos in the U.S. To review the recording of his talk, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0mCfMddzzM.

If you would like to download a Zoom background to show your support for Hispanic Heritage Month, visit https://espanol.ucanr.edu/Hispanic_Heritage_Month/Mes_de_la_Herencia_Hispana_2024/Recursos_Resources_720/.

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