Message from the Associate Director of GPII and Senior Advisor to the Puerto Rico Research Hub
Celebrating Diversity
One of the first celebrations of diversity of the academic year at UCF is Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM), observed nationally from September 15 through October 15. The pan ethnic terms Latino and Hispanic represent a rich plethora of cultural practices, beliefs and histories that are as much varied as they are similar. For me, HHM has always served as a vehicle to inform the broader community about our history, culture, and contributions to the United States. This month-long observance of our diverse culture is also an opportunity to think critically about internal issues such as colorism, gender bias, political agendas, as well as our sociopolitical relations with mainstream America and other groups. As one of the fastest growing “minority” groups, second to Asians in the nation, but first in states such as Florida, Latinos will continue to influence, and in many cases, transform the fabric of our nation. Here locally, Central Florida is home to one of the largest Puerto Rican diasporas,with Venezuelan immigrants quickly following behind.
September has also come to have great significance to Hispanics, and Puerto Ricans in particular, as the 20th marks the anniversary of Hurricane Maria, one of the most catastrophic natural disasters of modern times. This not only led to mass outmigration from the island into the United States, bringing Florida’s Puerto Rican population to surpass one million, but also exposed how complex Puerto Rico’s relationship to the United States is. It was on the heels of Maria, that UCF’s Puerto Rico Research Hub was established although the concept was developed years prior as Central Florida received scores of Puerto Ricans seeking better economic opportunities.
As a large public institution nestled in the heart of one of the most diverse regions of the state and in the country, it behooves us to offer and support opportunities for communities from all backgrounds to celebrate diversity and engage in meaningful interactions that promote learning and understanding. Hispanic Heritage Month, much like Black History Month and Women’s History Month, offers just that. I hope you join us in upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month events at UCF hosted by the Puerto Rico Research Hub and allies such as the Latino Faculty and Staff Association (LaFASA), the Multicultural Student Center (MSC), and the Ginsburg Center for Inclusion and Community Engagement, among others. We will share out our events in the coming weeks and encourage you to search the UCF Events Calendar and search the tags “Hispanic Heritage Month Event” and “#HHM22” for all events.
