September 11-17 | National Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Week

The observance takes place during National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated Sept. 15 - Oct. 15. HSIs are defined as having 25% or more undergraduate Hispanic student enrollment. TLU's student body is currently 42% Hispanic with more than half of all Bulldogs identifying as first-generation or the first person in their family to attend college.

September 12 | 1 p.m. | Celebrando HSI Week (Online Meet & Greet)

Please join the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE) to celebrate National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week, as well as the launch of Latinx Heritage Month. Participants will listen to música, play trivia (with prizes), and meet members of the AHSIE Council.

AHSIE seeks to connect with TLU students, staff, and faculty to discuss how they can work together to advance the mission of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI). Free and open to all. Join the event at tinyurl.com/AHSIEmeet.

September 13 | 10 a.m. | Chapel with Richard Montez

Richard Montez currently serves as Executive Director of Member Services at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). Over the last 6 years, Richard has led the charge to grow the association’s membership significantly and to amplify HACU’s voice through its strong membership base.

In addition to helping colleges and universities connect with HACU, Richard also oversees the associations job board, ProTalento: The Leading Job Board in Hispanic Higher Education, the HACU Webinar Series and HACU’s partnership with the All of Us Research Program, an initiative of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

For the past 11 years, Richard has also served as board chairman of Inner City Development, a non-profit organization that meets the emergency and recreational needs of children and families on the west side of San Antonio, one of the most economically segregated cities in the nation.

Richard’s work has focused largely on issues facing children and families, particularly hunger, houseless-ness and equitable access to education. He and his partner, David Joseph, are fathers to five children.

September 13 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Student Services: Scholarships, Career Services, and Leadership Development

The HACU Student Services team will have a table from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Alumni Student Center. Students, faculty, and staff are all encouraged to stop by and learn more.

September 15 | 10 a.m. | Chapel with Dr David Ortiz

Dr. Ortiz is TLU's vice president for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. His message will celebrate the start of Latinx Heritage Month with a brief history on Latinx students and TLU's journey to becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

September 15 | 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. | Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff & Center for Mexican American Studies Open House | Langner Hall 110

Join the Mexican American Student Association for Día De Los Muertos mask making, monarch mariposa art, music, food, and spoken word poetry. You'll also have the chance to meet TLU's new Director of the Center For Mexican American Studies, Dr. César Silva.

September 18 | 10 a.m. | Chapel with Dr. José Ángel Gutiérrez

Dr. Gutierrez will speak about his personal and academic journey as a social justice activist, including being a founding leader of the 1970s Chicano Movement.

September 18 | 4 p.m. | Meet & Greet with Dr. José Ángel Gutiérrez | Tschoepe Hall Lobby

The TLU community is invited to meet Dr. Gutierrez and visit with him about his work.

September 19 | 4:30 - 7 p.m.| Memorial Exhibit & Community Discussion | Teatro de Artes

Vickie De La Rosa Memorial Exhibit (4:30 p.m.)

Mrs. De La Rosa was instrumental in the formation of Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin nonprofit cultural arts organization which is a revered cultural, educational, and humanities institution in Seguin. Teatro recently celebrated its 40th anniversary of serving Seguin and surrounding communities’ youth, adolescents, adults, and seniors through its three pillars of: Community Based, Center Based, and School Based programming.

For all 40-plus years, Vickie volunteered her services and expertise to Teatro in the following capacities: first costume coordinator, first Ballet Folklorico De La Rosa instructor, first program coordinator, first grant writer/administrator, first executive director, and dedicated 41 years to serving all who sought knowledge in learning more about the Mexican American culture through all forms of art and humanities.

Community Roundtable (6 p.m.)

Teatro de Artes and the Center for Mexican American Studies will hold a community roundtable on the Historical legacy of Crystal City at Teatro de Artes de Juan Seguin. Dr. José Ángel Gutiérrez was a central figure in challenging the discriminatory school board practices in Crystal City during the 1970s. The events at Crystal City are noted as one of the fundamental movements that initiated the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement in Texas.

September 20 | 6 p.m. | Fighting for Political Power Documentary | Dunne Conference Room

This Documentary is part of the History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement film series. Fighting for Political Power, the documentary highlighting Dr. José Ángel Gutiérrez's work with La Raza Unida Party, will be screened for both the TLU and local Seguin communities. Community members are invited to attend the screening and Q&A with Dr. Gutierrez after the screening.

September 21 | 7 p.m. | Latinx Political Activism | Dunne Conference Room (Tschoepe Hall)

Dr. José Ángel Gutiérrez will present a talk about his activism and connect it to the current state of affairs as they pertain to Latinx civic activism.

As a co-founder of La Raza Unida Party, a Mexican American political party that ran its own candidates in the 1970s, he will give a history of La Raza Unida connecting it to Latinx political activism today. The La Raza Unida Party will be celebrating its 50th anniversary during this time as well.

September 27 | Latinx Heritage Month Dinner | 5:30-7 p.m. | Hein Dining Hall

All are welcome to dine in Hein for this fun-filled event and cultural celebration.

October 10 | Lotería | 7 p.m. | Moody Science 101

Co-sponsored by the TLU Mexican American Student Association & TLU Society of Physics Students, join the organizations for a night of lotería (Mexican bingo) and prizes.

October 25 | 10 a.m. | Chapel with Mariachi Oro y Negro

Join TLU's mariachi band for a special chapel performance

More About Visiting Scholar Dr. José Ángel Gutiérrez

During Latinx Heritage Month, Dr. José Ángel Gutiérrez will serve a week-long residency at TLU lecturing on An activist, lawyer, professor, and researcher, Dr. Gutiérrez has been president and chief operating officer of the Greater Dallas Legal and Community Development Foundation since 1986.

He is a licensed attorney in Texas and several federal jurisdictions, as well as a professor emeritus of Political Science. Dr. Gutiérrez is also the founder of the Center for Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas-Arlington including the oral history project.

During the Chicano Movement he was considered one of the Four Horsemen of that era. He has authored and co-authored 17 books, plus three children’s books. Dr. Gutiérrez has received many professional honors, including the 2019 National Hispanic Hero Award from the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute in Chicago and the 2016 Distinguished Alumni from Texas A&M University-Kingsville