“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community...Our ambitions must be broad enough to include aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”
Cesar Chavez
Chicano Activist
Programs

Throughout the year, the Latino Center offers numerous programs, including:

• Latino Heritage Month - National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated across the country from September 15 to October 15. This period of time was selected because it represents the anniversary of the independence of seven Latin American countries. At DU, Latino Heritage Month is celebrated during the month of October to accommodate the academic year. The political, cultural and historical legacies of Latino communities are honored with a number of activities across the campus and in the community. The arts play a big role in the celebration, with special activities including dance performances, musical concerts, food and academic discussions about relevant community issues, such as affirmative action and the legal system. Past celebrations have featured renown Latino authors sharing their life experiences and creative works.

• Día de los Muertos - The DU community comes together to celebrate El Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) as a way to honor and remember family, friends, students and alumni who have passed away. This unique cultural tradition and day of remembrance is celebrated on November 1 and 2. El Día de los Muertos celebration includes educational activities about the symbolism and meaning behind traditional foods, art and music.

• Latino Graduation Ceremony - In 2007, DU celebrated its largest Latino class of graduates ever! There were 67 graduates from all fields of study. The Latino Center and the Center for Multicultural Excellence held a ceremony honoring these graduates and their accomplishments.

• Cultural Events - The DU Latino Center partners with community-based arts organizations to bring cultural events to campus. These cultural events provide opportunities for the wider DU community to learn and experience the creative works of local and national Latino artists. For the DU Latino community, these events reaffirm cultural strengths through the exploration of art, language and history.

• Current Events - To keep students and the community up to date on current events, the DU Latino Center presents programs that are relevant to today's Latino community. These programs include topics such as immigration, affirmative action, health, education, political action and economics.