September 15 to October 15
Inver Hills Community College is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month 2018 by joining the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in paying tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.
The tribute runs from Saturday, September 15, to Monday, October 15, 2018.
Katie Nelson, PhD, anthropology faculty at Inver Hills, serves as equity and inclusion coordinator at the college. Katie is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese; she is also conversant in French and Arabic. She has conducted cultural research in Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, Costa Rica and El Salvador as well as in the United States.
Katie conveys her passion and firsthand knowledge to her anthropology classroom, teaching her students the importance of directly experiencing the beauty and wonder of diverse societies.
“Inver Hills Community College is dedicated to equity and inclusion,” Katie said. “We embrace the diverse perspectives and rich life histories that our students, faculty and staff bring to our community. At the Center for Equity and Diversity, we are actively engaged in promoting a positive college environment that supports the learning and success of all our students.”
More about National Hispanic Heritage Month 2018…
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15.
The month-long tribute was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402. The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Columbus Day, or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30-day period.¹
Learn more by visiting: National Hispanic Heritage Month.
More about the Center for Equity and Diversity…
Inver Hills Community College is strongly committed to excellence by including and integrating individuals who represent different race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, age, disability, national origin and religion. Inver Hills does not only seek diversity, but also acceptance, appreciation, respect, and equality.
Our campus community as a whole is committed to diversity and strives to create, promote, and sustain programs that further our understanding of individual and group diversity.
The Center for Diversity and Equity provides cultural programming and functions as a campus-wide resource on social justice issues. The office also serves as a support and resource for students from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds. Services include:
- Providing a space for students to interact, do homework, and check out our wide selection of resources pertaining to various social identities
- Resources for students with disabilities
- Planning social and cultural events
- Providing support to multicultural student clubs and organizations
- Connecting students to multicultural resources on campus and in the community
- Serving as a liaison between students, faculty and staff (student advocacy)
Learn more by visiting: Center for Equity and Diversity.
Multicultural and language clubs at Inver Hills
- Black Student Union
- CRU–Christian Fellowship
- Hmong American Club
- International Student Club
- Muslim Student Association
- Unidos-Spanish Club
Learn more by visiting: Clubs and Organizations
To learn more about the Center for Equity and Diversity at Inver Hills, contact:
Katie Nelson, PhD
Anthropology Faculty
Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
651-459-3492
¹ Courtesy of National Hispanic Heritage Month
