At Raritan Valley Community College, we embrace the beauty of diversity and are committed to celebrating the many different cultures and backgrounds that make up our vibrant student population.Currently nearly 24 percent of RVCC’s student population is comprised of self-identified Latinx students. In the coming weeks, RVCC is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a series of exciting programs and events.What is National Hispanic Heritage Month?National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed each year from September 15 to October 15.It was founded to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.Hispanic Heritage Month at RVCCRVCC’s 2023 theme for National Hispanic Heritage Month is “Celebrating Our Orgullo: Honoring, Leading & Learning with Joy in Latinx communities.”This theme is all about celebrating our own intersections of identity, and the many ways that we engage in our wholeness—such as community, music, rhythm, food, hope, love, family, faith, fashion, and ritual.These traditions help each of us tell our story of personal style, individualism and agency—but they also help us tell our collective story; our histories, our struggles, our survival, and our perseverance.2023 Calendar of Hispanic Heritage Month EventsJoin us at RVCC as we celebrate Latinx heritage from September 15 to October 15. For more information about any of the Hispanic Heritage Month events listed below, contact the Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Dr.
Windy Paz-Amor, at Windy.Paz-Amor@raritanval.edu.· Tuesday, September 12 from 12:30pm – 2:30pmKick-Off Welcome Back Picnic, with “Latin Fusion” music, Latin dancing, and Latin food.Organized by: Student LifeLocation: Courtyard · Friday, September 15Launch of Campus-Wide Educational Poster/Book CampaignOrganized by: The Office of DEI & RVCC LibraryLocation: Across Campus· Wednesday, September 18 – Monday, October 9The Orgullo Latino club will present a digital engagement & educational campaign. Club members will introduce topics each week on aspects of different Latin cultures.Organized by: Orgullo Latino ClubLocation: Digital campaign on RVConnect & Instagram· Tuesday, October 4 from 4pm – 7pmMovie screening of Spiderman the Multiverse (2023)Organized by: The Office of DEILocation: Atrium · Tuesday, October 10Culturas del Mundo Latino: An event of dancing, singing, volleyball, bracelet making, and trivia—celebrating joy with delicious food from Latino cultures.Location: CourtyardOrganized by: Orgullo Latino Club· Thursday, October 12 from 1pm – 2:20pmDocumentary screening of DoloresLocation: TBDOrganized by: Humanities, Social Sciences, & English Department; Professor Barbara Seiter About RVCC’s Orgullo Latino/Latin Pride ClubRVCC’s Orgullo Latino/Latin Pride Club encourages campus-wide appreciation of Hispanic Americans and their contributions and history. The club hosts fun events and provides outreach programs to local New Jersey high school students to help facilitate their pursuit of post-secondary education.
For more information, email Windy Paz-Amor at windy.paz-amor@raritanval.edu.Diversity ResourcesRaritan Valley Community College curates a list of diversity resources for multi-cultural students. Resources compiled for the Latinx community include:Hispanic-American Village (from IMDiversity.com)Hispanic Alliance for Careers EnhancementLatin America’s Professional Network (LatPro)Saludos.comAttend Our Fall Open HouseDon’t miss RVCC’s upcoming Information Sessions. You’ll have the opportunity to tour the campus, speak with an admissions specialist, explore financial aid options, and more.For many students, visiting a campus in person is much more productive and insightful than spending hours online researching “schools near me.” Lock in your spot by registering here.About RVCCRaritan Valley Community College has been ranked among the best community colleges in New Jersey by WalletHub.com and Intelligent.com.
The College offers more than 90 degree and certificate programs, small class sizes, affordable tuition, and a welcoming campus life.RVCC is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.