HISPANIC HERITAGE: Princeton Middle School (PMS) students Camila and Nathalia Araizaga have created two bulletin boards honoring their Hispanic heritage. They stand in front of their display at PMS honoring the Hispanic athletes who participated in the 2024 Summer Olympics. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Public Schools)

By Donald Gilpin

National Hispanic Heritage Month extends from September 15 to October 15, a time to “celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of those living in America whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America,” as stated in a September 9 Princeton Council proclamation. Princeton and the surrounding area offer many opportunities to join the celebrations.

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP), the Princeton Public Library (PPL), McCarter Theatre, Princeton University, and local schools, as well as the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF) in Trenton, are presenting a variety of entertaining and edifying activities to engage the community and respond to Princeton Mayor Mark Freda’s “call upon the people of Princeton to join in this special observance by seeking out celebrations, educational programs, and community activities to learn more about the role Hispanic and Latino Americans have played in our nation’s history.”

McCarter Theatre, which presented the legendary Ballet Hispanico on September 28, will be following up this weekend with two noteworthy performances: “Encanto: The Sing-Along Film Concert” on Friday, October 4 at 7 p.m. and “An Evening with Natalia Lafourcade” on Sunday, October 6 at 6 p.m.

“Encanto,” an interactive performance and screening, features live music onstage by Banda de la Casita, as it brings Disney’s film to life. “Dress up as your favorite character and join the fun in this enchanting musical adventure,” the McCarter website urges.

Lafourcade’s work “reflects both her deep cultural heritage and innovative spirit,” according to the website. The acclaimed singer-songwriter from Mexico will play solo guitar on stage and share stories. “Rooted in Latin American tradition, her music seamlessly weaves together elements of rock, jazz, pop, bossa nova, and folk, creating a rich tapestry of sound that has captivated audiences globally,” the website adds.

The celebrations continue on Friday, October 11 from 7 to 9 p.m., when the ACP is inviting visitors to “come show off your moves and learn a few new ones as we dance favorites like salsa, merengue, bachata, cambia, and more — no experience needed,” at an evening of dance, culture, and celebration.

Dance instructors from Princeton University’s Mas Flow dance group will be in attendance to help participants, and DJ Pro Bono will be spinning the music curated by Councilwoman Leticia Fraga. The family-friendly event, free and open to everyone, will be held in the ACP parking lot or, if the weather doesn’t cooperate, in the ACP theater.

The PPL has been highlighting Hispanic Heritage Month in a number of different ways, with festive dance-centered events, a Latino poetry initiative, and a series of four discussions that will continue through October and into November.

September 30 in the Community Room of the Library, the PPL presented a panel which explored the newly published Latino Poetry: the Library of America Anthology to launch its programming for “Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home,” a nationwide public humanities initiative.

Follow-up discussions will focus on representative poems selected to bring out eight themes integral to the tradition of Latino poetry, along with essays on those themes. “Ancestry and Identity” and “First and Second Homes” will be the themes featured on October 9; “Voice and Resistance” and “Language/Lenguaje” on October 23; “Family and Community” and “Music and Performance” on November 6; and “Labor” and “Earth, Landscape, and Myth” on November 20. Meetings are scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Many Princeton schools are holding Hispanic Heritage Month events and creating displays in their classrooms and common areas. Among the events on the Princeton Middle School calendar are salsa dancing after school on October 4, an art workshop on October 11 to create a mural honoring those of Hispanic descent, and a Family Fall Fest, a grand finale to Hispanic Heritage Month on October 18 featuring the Oro de Mexico mariachi band.

Over the summer two PMS students, Camila and Nathalia Araizaga, designed and created two bulletin boards honoring their Hispanic heritage: one featuring the artist Frida Kahlo, with 21 flags representing the 21 countries celebrated during the month; and the other honoring the Hispanic athletes who participated in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

PPS reports that Community Park Elementary School fifth grade students are spotlighting a different Spanish-speaking country each day throughout the month, sharing information and a song from the country featured each day. Fifth grade students are also working on a mural for the second-floor hallway.

Littlebrook Elementary School is presenting an assembly for a Musiquita Performance by Young Audiences of New Jersey. They are also featuring a “country of the week” and inspirational quotations during the morning announcements throughout Hispanic Heritage Month.

Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts has been celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with traditional Mexican Arts Workshops led by artist and community partner Veronica Olivares-Weber. “This initiative aims to foster a deeper connection with Latinx heritage and with local communities while celebrating the vibrant traditions that define our culture,” the Lewis Center website states.

A September 28 workshop explored the art of papier-mâché, known as cartoneria in Mexico, and on October 7 there will be a metal embossing (repujado) workshop from 12 to 1:30 p.m. in the meeting room of the University’s Julis Romo Rabinowitz Building. “In this workshop, participants will learn how to create intricate, raised designs on thin sheets of metal such as tin, copper, or aluminum,” the website explains. For required registration and further information visit arts.princeton.edu.

On Saturday, October 12 LALDEF will be holding its third annual Hispanic Heritage Resource and Wellness Fair at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 151 North Warren Street in Trenton. The event, in partnership with a number of community health organizations and others, will offer COVID-19 vaccines, WIC (Women, Infants and Children) services, cancer screening information, a clothing giveaway, health insurance enrollment, family support services, utility assistance, and more.

“LALDEF proudly celebrates Hispanic heritage and its significant impact on Mercer County,” LALDEF Executive Director Cecy Jimenez-Weeast wrote in an email. “With a large Hispanic and Latino population, we are dedicated to helping the community understand and honor our shared heritage and its contributions to New Jersey. Through our annual Wellness Fair, LALDEF works closely with community partners to create a strong support network for all Mercer County’s residents, uplifting our neighbors while celebrating the culture and heritage that brings us together.”

At their September 9 meeting, where the Princeton Council also issued an award of recognition to Mariachi Los Tigres de Princeton, a University mariachi group noted for its community building, celebrating culture, and bringing people together, the Council’s proclamation emphasized “Hispanic and Latino Americans represent a significant and fast-growing demographic and we honor the invaluable ways they contribute to our community as friends, family members, teachers, elected officials, essential workers, coworkers, and much more.”