Northwest Missouri State University is commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month with a film screening and an interactive art activity.

Northwest will screen the movie “Mi Familia” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, in the J.W. Jones Student Union Boardroom. The film depicts a family’s migration across Mexico to Los Angeles and the political and social hardships that confront generations.

From 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, in the Student Union Boardroom, the Northwest community is invited to an interactive activity involving the creation of Mexican folk art with paper designs, known as papel picado, with Northwest Associate Professor of Management Dr. Araceli Hernàndez.

Hispanic Heritage Month activities are sponsored by Northwest’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. All events are free and open to the public.

“The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is looking forward to collaborating with Dr. Hernàndez for our fun free activity to promote the Hispanic Heritage,” Latonya Davis, Northwest coordinator of diversity and inclusion, said. “We want students to learn about the Hispanic and Latinx history, culture and misconceptions of Hispanic heritage.”  

The national recognition for Hispanic Heritage Month dates to 1968 when President Lyndon Johnson recognized the first Hispanic Heritage Week. Twenty years later, President Ronald Reagan expanded the week to cover the 30-day period from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, with the start date marking the anniversary of the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.