Celebrating Latine Heritage Together

¡Búhos, uníos!

Celebrating Latine Heritage Together

Let’s come together as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! SEPT. 15–OCT. 15, 2025

Full Calendar Events at the Office of Access and Institutional Excellence

TUESDAY, SEPT. 9 
New Directions in Latin American and Latinx  Studies Lecture Series 
“Spanish Speakers as Racialized Social Types: Hearing for Deficiency  and Deception” is a lecture by Jessica Lopez-Espino examining how the  term “Spanish speakers” is used in a California dependency court serving  predominantly Mexican and Central American communities.  Sponsor/Host: Center for Latin American and Latinx Studies More info: Fatima Bazan Mota, fb55@rice.edu 
Herring Hall 225 (English Faculty Lounge)  4 P.M. 
MONDAYS, SEPT. 15, 22 AND MONDAY,  OCT. 13 
Tango Buhos 
Argentine tango classes, focusing on improving dance skills, balance, con nection, centering, community and friendship building around the dance. Sponsor/Host: Ley Student Center, Farnsworth Pavilion 
More info: Indre, id5@rice.edu 
Ley Student Center, Farnsworth Pavilion  8 P.M. 
MONDAY, SEPT. 15 
Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff Event Celebrate with free food, performances, T-shirts and activity booths as we  bring in the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. 
Sponsor/Host: Office of Access and Institutional Excellence More info: Andrea Herrera, amh21@rice.edu 
Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center 
Doors open at 5:15 P.M. 
WEDNESDAYS: SEPT. 17, 24 AND  OCT. 1, 8, 15 
Group Ex: Tango 
Tango is a group exercise class that emphasizes core strength, precise  movements, balance and posture. Designed to enhance locomotor system  awareness, the class uses deep listening, communication and lead/follow  skills. Open to all fitness levels, no prior experience required. Sponsor/Host: Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center 
More info: Indre, id5@rice.edu 
Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center 
6:30–7:25 P.M. 
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 17 
Rice Ballroom x HACER: Dance Workshop This event will feature beginner-friendly lessons in a Latin dance, followed  by a social dance hour. Light refreshments will be provided and is open to  all Rice students. No prior dance experience is required. 
Sponsor/Host: Rice Ballroom and HACER 
More info: Alicia Garza, alg27@rice.edu; Ibana Delgado, id16@rice.edu Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center 
7–9 P.M. 
THURSDAYS, SEPT. 18, 25  
AND OCT. 2,9 
Thursday Hangouts 
Come to the MCC every Thursday during Hispanic Heritage Month to enjoy  food and fellowship and meet other students, faculty and staff. Sponsor/Host: Access and Institutional Excellence 
More info: Avery Hartwell, ah150@rice.edu 
Multicultural Center 
3:30 P.M.  
FRIDAY, SEPT. 19 
SHPE x HACER: Carne Asada 
The event will provide grilled meats and side dishes typically served in  Latin American culture, along with Hispanic music.  
Sponsor/Host: SHPE and HACER 
More info: Ibana Delgado, id16@rice.edu; Alicia Garza, alg27@rice.edu;  Aaron Juarez, aj106@rice.edu 
MCC Courtyard 
6–8 P.M. 
FRIDAY, SEPT. 19 
Be the Cure: Celebrating Heritage, Saving Lives Join LAMAH and Mariachi Luna Llena for a donor drive to find out if you  are a potential match with a blood cancer/disorder patient through a quick  cheek swab. Learn how your heritage could be the key to saving a life and  join the registry to be someone’s cure. Participation is non-binding. Sponsor/Host: Rice Chapter of Latin American Medical Association of  Houston and Mariachi Luna Llena 
More info: Karen Cazares, kic2@rice.edu 
Crownover Courtyard (Between Fondren Library and  Brochstein Pavilion) 
3–6 P.M. 
FRIDAY, SEPT. 19 
Los Buhos Night at Rice Volleyball 
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a Rice Volleyball match against  Cornell at home. The event highlights the vibrant cultures present on Rice  University’s campus and in the Houston community. 
Sponsor/Host: Rice Athletics Volleyball 
More info: Megan Vila, mv67@rice.edu 
Tudor Fieldhouse 
6:30 P.M. 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 20 
Noche Latina 
We will have a block of 45 tickets at Dynamo Stadium for their “Noche  Latina” game vs. the Portland Timbers. The ticket includes a $20 drink and  food voucher. Tickets will be sent via email to alumni and students with  different pricing tiers. 
Sponsor/Host: Office of Alumni Relations 
More info: Eva Francavilla, ef30@rice.edu 
Shell Energy Stadium 
7 P.M. 
TUESDAY, SEPT. 23 
The Health of Brown Rice 
Richard Tapia is the first Rice Hispanic professor and has been on the Rice  faculty for more than 50 years. In this talk, he will critique the 50-year, not  well understood, relationship between Rice and Hispanic Rice.  Sponsor/Host: Tapia Center 
More info: Linda Torres, neyra@rice.edu 
McMurtry Auditorium, Duncan Hall 
4 P.M. 
TUESDAY, SEPT. 23 
Sabor Latino: A Taste of Latin America We will host a cultural food fair by offering students a variety of small  dishes from across Latin America, including savory and sweet items. The  event will feature music, speakers, picnic blankets and activities. Sponsor/Host: HACER 
More info: Ibana Delgado, id16@rice.edu; Alicia Garza, alg27@rice.edu Founders Court, Rice Memorial Center 
6–8 P.M. 
 

Public Law 90-498
September 17, 1968

Joint Resolution Authorizing the President to proclaim annually the week including September 15 and 16 as "National Hispanic Heritage Week."

Dr. Richard Tapia came to Rice in 1972, and energized the student population. Rice students and Dr. Tapia founded RAMAS, the Rice Association of Mexican American Students.

We are RAMAS, the Rice Association of Mexican-American Students. In our efforts to extend limitations, we are becoming RAMAS/HACER, Hispanic Association with Cultural and Educational Revitalization. Our goal is to meet a student’s social and cultural needs, therefore the club’s existence  is based on our members’ interests and ideas flowing from those needs.

This year, our activities included sampling Mexican food, attending Latin style music festivals, film festivals and night clubs. Thanks to our great officers, each activity was definitely a success, especially the kikker dancing. Although our numbers range from 2 to 17, we've always had fun. Organizing International Night was another big event of the year. The banquet was the largest one yet with 200+ people. It was a great success, thanks to the planning and effort of our club with other cultural clubs.  Most importantly, we are a tightly-knit group, and together, we have always achieved success. Thanks, everyone, for a great year. Thankse, veryone, for a great year!

Holly Ackely (President), Susanne Martinez (Vice President), Mario Casanova (Treasurer), Rita Mendez (Secretary), James Morales, Leo Lopez, Javier Castellanos, Bill Oliver, Hector Lozano, Lawrence Herrera, Felicia Cavazos, Clara Tovar, Albino Garza, Laura Nunez-Arnez, James Vera, Fernando Serrano, Alma Arrazolo, John Linn Sanchez

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed Public Law 100-402, thereby expanding Hispanic Heritage Week into the more extensive observance known as 
National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Heritage Night declared a Success

The Office of Minority Affairs and HACER sponsored the first annual Hispanic Heritage Night last Saturday in the Rice Memorial Center Grand Hall. In addition to a catered Mexican dinner, the event featured the Houston-based Mariachi band Los Gallitos who performed a variety of traditional Mexican songs including Cielito Cindo Los Menanita's and Guadalajara. The mariachis Spanish professor Anna Maria Dal Rio saying Chilean songs to her guitar ballet folklorico Bellas Artes" de Houston an award-winning ballet group where the final performers of the evening.

Two local dancers perform a traditional dance as part of the Hispanic Heritage week celebration in the Grand Hall of the RMC Saturday evening.

The rich ethnic heritage of Hispanic Americans gives us cause to celebrate because it is a proud and colorful portion of our Nation's heritage. Hispanic Americans have reaffirmed our belief in the principles of liberty and democratic government, and they have helped to share that vision with our neighbors in Central and South America and the Caribbean. This month, as we recognize the many achievements of Hispanic Americans, we also recall the universal appeal of the American ideal of freedom and opportunity for all.

Saturday, October 5, 2004

Fiesta!
Tonight is Posada, Rice's festival celebrating Hispanic heritage there will be a procession beginning at Willie's statue at 5:30 PM and at 6:00 PM the doors of McMurtry Colleges Commons will open to reveal a wealth of terrific Latin American food and some fabulous salsa music Tickets are $7 at the door or $5 in advance.

Wednesday, October 15, 2009

Corazon Latino

In honor of More information, contact Victor M Castillo at VMC at Rice Dot Edu Hispanic Heritage Month, HACER will host a cultural explosion of the different Latin American countries and Spain from 12 to 5:00 PM. in the Grand Hall of the Student Center. Performances will take place throughout the afternoon. Free Latin American appetizers will be provided. Is also free.

HACER is the Hispanic/Latinx Student Association on campus. It fosters community among members and engages with Rice on issues important to them what has really drawn me to a seater has been the similar notion of advancement for each other shared by the group. RITMO is especially a highlight seeing your culture celebrated and your university informed." Bryan Najera DeMoraes  (21) baker College rep for HACER.

HACER continues its mission to foster community, advocate on campus and serve the larger Houston community.
¡Búhos, uníos!

At Rice, we celebrate the invaluable contributions of our Hispanic faculty & staff, whose dedication enriches our campus and strengthens our community. 

During Hispanic Heritage Month, we honor the contributions of our students, staff, and faculty in promoting diversity and inclusion, ensuring that every voice is acknowledged. We appreciate their leadership and dedication to making Rice a welcoming environment for everyone.

This month is a beautiful reminder that our heritage isn't defined by a single experience. It's a vast and diverse tapestry, and there's a place for all of us within it, no matter our background or how we connect to it. Together, as a community rooted in strength and perseverance, we shine."

- Alyssa Montelongo

In 2024, the Center for Latin American and Latinx Studies (CELAS) at Rice University launched as a comprehensive approach to area and ethnic studies, emphasizing multiracial, multilingual, and transnational perspectives grounded in local contexts. CELAS supports innovative research in Latin American and Latinx Studies, bridging the gap between Latin American and US Latino/a Studies. It highlights the diversity of Latin American and Latinx cultures, focusing on Indigeneity, Blackness, and the region's various languages.

Gerardo Rosales - Artist

The inaugural CELAS art exhibit is located in 112 Rayzor Hall.

Gerardo Rosales is a local Houston artist of Venezuelan descent. He has been living in Houston for the last 25 years...and we are thrilled to be able to feature his amazing art at the Center’s office.

-Sophie Esch, Director for CELAS

Owlnest Calendar

Center for Latin American / Latinx Studies

Library Resources

¡Búhos, uníos!