Cultural heritage months, such as Latinx Heritage Month from Sept.15 to Oct.15, offer us the opportunity to celebrate the various groups that make up the Willamette University community. This time honors the rich cultural contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities. It commemorates the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries, such as Mexico, Chile and others.
This year we have the theme, “At the Intersection”, showcasing the diversity of the community; reframing and critically analyzing Latinidad –how is anti-Indigenous and anti-Blackness reproduced within the community?
We also bring education, celebration, and community-building to our campuses through a variety of programs. See below for a selection and join us in celebrating this month. A full listing can be found in the link attached to this announcement below for the PNCA/Portland and Salem campuses, as well as some offerings from our local communities. We hope to see you at one or many of these upcoming events!
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September 15 & 16 | El Grito
Portland, OR | Off-Campus Event | 11am-11pm
Grito Portland is a community-centered event where we highlight the traditions passed down by our ancestors and our indigenous roots. We celebrate with all communities and provide a platform of resources specific to the Latino community and where small Latino businesses can provide products, services, and authentic food dishes. Admission is completely free and this year, we will continue to provide health screenings, vaccination clinics, community resources, and more.
September 16th | Latinx Heritage Month Kick-Off: Cafecito Chat with OIEI & Alianza
Salem Campus | Renjen Center (E&E) | 4:30-6:30pm
Come join the Office of Intercultural Engagement & Inclusion and Alianza as we kick-off Latinx Heritage Month! During this drop-in mixer, we will have door prizes and refreshments. We invite our students, staff, and faculty of the WU community to this event and hope to see you there!
September 17th | Paseo Pajaros/Bird Walk
Salem Campus | Meet Outside of the Bistro | 9-10:30am
Professor David Craig aka BirdMan is leading a free event for anyone who wants to learn more about the birds on campus, expand their Spanish vocabulary, go birding, get outdoors, and make new friends. This 90-minute event will introduce you to popular places to spot birds and other wildlife. Craig will share information about Latinx scientists working on research and conservation and bilingual birding resources. Additionally, learn about community opportunities to work with multicultural Spanish language programming (e.g., Straub Outdoors, Aknkey Hill Nature Center, World Migratory Bird Day, and more.) Open to all, no experience needed. Binoculars will be provided! Questions? Email dpcraig@willamette.edu with the subject “Bird Walk.””
September 23rd | KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Children of Indigenous Oaxacan Migrants with Dr. Brenda Nicolas
Salem Campus | Cat Cavern | 5-6:30pm | Free Admission | Open to the Public
Dr. Brenda Nicolas is Assistant Professor in the Department of Global and International Studies at the University of California, Irvine. Her work broadly examines Indigeneity, settler colonialism, migration, Latinidad, and critical ethnography. Dr. Nicolas is currently working on her first book, titled, Pueblo Autonomy: Bene Xhon Practices Across Settler Colonial Borders of the U.S. and Mexico. Her work has been published in the journal of Latino Studies, American Quarterly, American Indian Culture and Research Journal, and the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) press, including popular mediums, like LA Taco, McClatchy Fresno Arts Endowment, and more.
This event is co-sponsored by the Office of Intercultural Engagement & Inclusion and the Department of English.
September 28th | ¡Viva Salem!
Riverfront Park | Salem, OR | 12-6pm | Free Admission
Enjoy live music, performances, artists, and vendors of food and crafts to help make ¡Viva Salem! festival is an event to enjoy and remember. This is a City event intended to bring together our entire community to celebrate our Hispanic culture. It is the City's goal that in celebrating one of Salem’s important building blocks, we recognize the importance of diversity and acknowledge the hard work of our community members.
October 1st | Goudy Takeover Menu: Recipes from our Custodial Staff
Salem Campus | Goudy Commons | 11am-2pm
Goudy presents a lunch menu celebrating Latinx Heritage Month utilizing a variety of cooking styles using local and sustainable ingredients.
We hope you enjoy this menu selection all from recipes by our Custodial Staff. Thank you Betty & her team for sharing their recipes. To learn more about the dishes, visit the Office of Intercultural Engagement & Inclusion’s instagram profile.
Limited meal vouchers are available and only valid at Goudy Commons on Tuesday, April October 1st. Please contact the Office of Intercultural Engagement & Inclusion at
October 14th | Hallie Ford Literary Series with Author Daniel Olivas
Salem Campus | Cone Chapel | 5-6:30pm | Free Admission | Open to the Public
Author Daniel Olivas will be discussing his latest books Chicano Frankenstein and My Chicano Heart. For more information please contact Scott Nadelson
This event is co-sponsored by the Department of English and the Hallie Ford Chair in Writing.