Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15)

With Hispanic Heritage Month beginning Friday, the UWSP campuses have a number of events for various interests. 

The national observance is celebrated annually from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 to recognize the ancestral history, cultures and contributions of United States residents from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988.

The UWSP Libraries is featuring a special title right now in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. "George Melendez Wright: The Fight for Wildlife and Wilderness in the National Parks," by Jerry Emory (available on our New Book Shelf - CCC 130). George Melendez Wright was the first Latinx-professional who worked for the National Park Service (NPS). 

Here is a brief description of the work from Booklist (March 1, 2023):
Portrayed as a personable, passionate, and persuasive individual, Wright is credited with advocating for the use of basic science to guide management decisions, striving for the preservation of the "pristine state" of nature within parks and strongly opposing unregulated hunting and excessive controlling of predators on national lands. Wright led significant field studies and wildlife surveys and was concerned about the impact tourism had on park wildlife, including human versus animal conflicts. Although Wright died in a car accident at age 31, his fervor for our national parks and substantial achievements in furthering conservation biology left a lasting legacy and are a testament to how full and influential a short life can be.

In addition to our featured title, there are a number of events happening on campus that may interest you and a full description and dates can be found here, including Drag Queen Bingo, Salsa and Bachata dance lessons, and the keynote speaker Oscar Mireles, an educator, writer and arts advocate from Madison, who will present “Becoming a Leader and Building on Your Strength."