ASU is kicking off National Hispanic Heritage Month – which is from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 – with a variety of events, and the celebrations have even spread to the Los Angeles campus. 

Between live music, exhibitions and guest speakers, ASU has many ways for Sun Devils to celebrate all month long. Additionally, students can partake in film screenings at the LA campus, while Arizona students can participate in book fairs and picnics.

Tempe

Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez, assistant vice provost of the Polytechnic campus and co-director of the Latinx Oral History Lab, said the lab is kicking off its inaugural speaker series just in time for the monthly celebration. 

On Sept. 17, the series will feature Elena Foulis, associate professor and director of Spanish language studies at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, to discuss oral history and linguistic practices.

 Fonseca-Chávez said this event is a way to bring people together to showcase the different aspects of their culture, such as food and language, and to also have conversations about Latino communities. 

“Hispanic Heritage Month should be celebrated as fully as it can be,” she said. “It’s really important to have big conversations about what Hispanic and Latinx communities are experiencing right now and historically, and to have forums for it to be a welcoming environment to ask those questions.”

She also said the lab, which started last year, generates a lot of student involvement from all  backgrounds. During the lab, students engage in conversation and ultimately learn the importance in preserving Latino stories. 

Students on the Tempe campus can also observe the month with “The Social Hour at Barrett: Celebrating Barrett Comunidad” on Sept. 16 and can participate in ASU Book Group’s September selection, “Every Sound Is Not a Wolf,” on Sept. 25. 

In October, students can attend the Hispanic Research Center’s Fall 2025 Block Party and its Dia de los Muertos Art Exhibition on Oct. 7 in Tempe. 

Polytechnic

Over on the Polytechnic campus, Barrett students can kick off Hispanic Heritage month with “Poly Picnic presents: Honoring Hispanic and Latinx Heritage” on Sept. 19. Poly Picnics are held biweekly and are themed luncheons typically centered around heritage months and high-impact programs. 

Joshua Albin, the senior program coordinator for student engagement and recruitment in Barrett, the Honors College at Polytechnic campus, said students who attend the event can expect a taco bar and the chance to connect with other students, faculty and staff. 

Albin said holding this event is important for recognizing and celebrating the diversity on campus. 

“It supports ASU’s charter on being able to support all students and being able to celebrate the different heritages and cultures of different students,” Albin said. “This is just one way that we want to be able to show how diverse our student population is in being able to celebrate during the Heritage Month.”

The Polytechnic campus will also have “Barrett Block Party presents: Flavor Fiesta,” a block party on Sept. 24, and HRC’s book fair on Oct. 30.   

Los Angeles

For students on the LA campus, The Sidney Poitier New American Film School will be hosting film screenings — the first being “Dolores,” presented by Borderlands Cinematic Arts — starting on Sept. 16. 

The screening will include a conversation between filmmaker Peter Bratt and activist Dolores Huerta. 

Peter Murrieta, the interim dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at ASU’s LA campus, said he hopes students will have an opportunity to engage with both the ASU student body and the LA community during the screenings. He also said he wants students to leave with an understanding that “history is alive.” 

“You’re in (history), and you’re experiencing it,” Murrieta said. “Now you’re going to be in conversation with it and how contemporary it is, especially with the way things are right now.”

The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts will host “Culture and the Art of Resistance: A Conversation with Leading LA Voices” on Oct. 2,  and, to finish off Hispanic Heritage Month, there will be a screening of “The Infiltrators” on Oct. 9 , also presented by Borderlands Cinematic Arts. 

West Valley

The West Valley campus will host a free tasting of the Mexican drink rusa on Sept. 18 and a cooking demonstration on Sept. 23.

The Collab, a partnership between faculty, staff and student groups, is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with “Celebrando Comunidad” on Sept. 17 at the West campus. The event will feature a resource fair, a networking workshop, music and food. 

Nicole Macias, director of inclusive engagement with the office of inclusive excellence, said the idea of having a resource fair and networking workshop came from student leaders wanting to bring all the resources the University offers to one place. 

Anna Lugo Ortecho, a sophomore studying forensic psychology and political science, is the student leader for this event. She said in a written statement that she is excited to take part in “a powerful reminder of the strength, pride, and unity within our community.” 

“It means so much to us to see our culture, traditions, and contributions celebrated in such a vibrant and meaningful way,” Ortecho said in a written statement. “While at the same time, sharing with my fellow students and ASU as a whole that there is something for everyone and that we belong here.” 

Macias said students also wanted to engage with the Arizona community for networking opportunities with potential employers. 

“We want (students) to feel like they are part of ASU, that they have connected with something that’s either of interest or that resonates with them in a way that says ‘I belong here, I’m going to stay here, I have support here and I’m going to succeed here,'” Macias said. 

Edited by Natalia Rodriguez, George Headley, Sophia Braccio and Pippa Fung.

Reach the reporter at alillest@asu.edu and follow @allylillestol on X.

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Allison LillestolCommunity Reporter

Allison Lillestol is a reporter for the community and culture desk. She is in her 3rd semester with the State Press. She also works for the Arizona PBS. 

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