Latine & Caribbean Heritage Celebration 2025

• Educate the Dartmouth community about the Latine and Caribbean population in and out of campus; about our needs, cultures, and perspectives.
• Embrace how our differences as Latine and Caribbean bring us together as a unique community.
• Highlight the Latine and Caribbean voices of students, faculty, and staff who have crafted our present and will push us towards the future.

As part of the Latine and Caribbean community at Dartmouth, we celebrate the power of our voices, not only as individuals but collectively, to shape the future we envision. This year's theme, Our Voices, Our Future, highlights interdependence, hope, and the strength that comes from unity, reminding us that a just and inclusive future is created together through shared action and dialogue. In a time when our communities face challenges and opportunities for meaningful transformation, our stories, cultures, and collective resilience form the foundation of that vision.

Through this theme, we invite the entire Dartmouth community to engage with us: speaking, listening, and acting in ways that honor our differences while building solidarity. Our future is not something to wait for; it is something we actively create together. By acknowledging and celebrating the Latine and Caribbean community, we strengthen our campus, expand understanding, and inspire collaborative action that uplifts everyone.

Our first event, held at the beginning of the Fall Term, is a lively, participatory, and community-oriented Welcome Back and Kick-off. Traditionally hosted outside on the north end of campus, we plan to have food, games, raffles, music, and connect with various resources, offices, and departments that support or would like to support the Latine, Hispanic, and Caribbean communities on campus.

Late in September and October, we will host diverse programming opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community members to join and enjoy valuable time in community. Starting with a visit to Dartmouth's Organic Farm, aiming to connect students with the Organic Farm and the Upper Valley farmworker community, to reflect on the voices that sustain local food systems, gain perspective on labor justice, and engage in dialogue about interdependence, dignity, and community resilience.

Additionally, we are bringing a Mixed-media Creative Space to allow participants to reflect, express, and reimagine identity through art and dialogue. Saturday, October 25th, we will be hosting an authentic Afro-Latin Drumming Workshop, guided by arts educator, producer, performer, and therapeutic drummer, Cornell Coley. This event will be followed by an open dance night party with authentic Caribbean cuisine. On Wednesday, October 29th, in partnership with the Spanish and Portuguese, we will be hosting our annual keynote speaker, scholar and performer Ana Laura Santamaría, presenting her work "Rosario Castellanos: otro modo de ser" an interdisciplinary performance rooted in the poetry of the renowned Mexican writer Rosario Castellanos. 

Finally, on November, we will co-host an Interfaith Dinner, in partnership with the William Jewett Tucker Center, reflecting on Día de Muertos, exploring the cultural significance of community grieving, remembrance, and interfaith dialogue.

All of our events are free, and open to campus. We encourage you to come join us and share the Latine and Caribbean Heritage Celebration with us. Everyone is welcome!

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Friday, September 19th |  3 - 6 PM
LALAC House

Start the year in community at LCSA's annual Latine and Caribbean Heritage Celebration (LCHC) Kickoff and Welcome Back! This outdoor gathering, hosted on the north end of campus, will bring students, staff, and faculty together to celebrate the vibrant start of the fall term. Enjoy delicious food, games, raffles, and music, while connecting with peers and campus partners.
A variety of offices and departments will be tabling to share resources and highlight the many ways they support—or hope to support—the Latine, Hispanic, and Caribbean communities at Dartmouth. Whether you're returning to campus or joining for the first time, this event is a chance to meet new people, reconnect with old friends, and launch LCHC 2025 in the spirit of joy, resilience, and community.
 

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Tuesday, September 23rd |  5 - 7 PM
Dartmouth's Organic Fam

Join us for an evening at the Dartmouth Organic Farm to connect with the Upper Valley's farmworker community. This program invites participants to hear directly from those whose labor sustains our local food systems, while reflecting on dignity, interdependence, and resilience across borders. Through a guided conversation, students will gain perspective on labor justice and the voices that make food security possible in our region.
Transportation will be provided, with shuttles leaving the Collis Center parking lot at 4:45 pm. Please RSVP via Dartmouth Groups to reserve your spot. Open to all students, staff, and faculty.
 

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Thursday, October 2nd |  4:30 - 6:00 PM
Filene Auditorium

Join OPAL, OVIS, and IDE for a Know Your Rights session with the ACLU of New Hampshire. This program will focus on immigration rights, public safety, and community support, offering practical tools to navigate challenges with confidence. The event will include a presentation and open Q&A.

Open to all students, staff, and faculty.
 

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Tuesday, October 14th |  5 - 7 PM
The Hood Creative Studio

This collaborative event with Queer History Celebration centers the voices and experiences of those who live at the intersection of Latine, Caribbean, and LGBTQIA+ identities, while also welcoming anyone who wishes to engage in solidarity. Together, we will explore how concepts, images, and expectations shape identity, while using art and dialogue as powerful tools for expression, affirmation, and connection.
Participants will have the opportunity to reflect, create, and share in a supportive environment that values resilience, creativity, and collective hope. Art supplies of different kinds will be provided. No previous art experience is necessary. Just bring your voice, your curiosity, and your willingness to imagine a brighter future together.
 

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Saturday, October 25th | 8 PM - 12 AM
Collis Common Ground

Join us for a night of rhythm, movement, and celebration as we honor the Afro-Latin roots that shape Caribbean and Latin American cultures. This dynamic event invites students and community members to experience the power of live drumming and dance as expressions of history, cultural pride, and resilience.

The evening will begin with an interactive drumming workshop at 8:00 pm, led by Cornell Coley, arts educator, producer, performer, and therapeutic drummer. In this hands-on session, participants will explore Afro-Latin rhythms while learning how drumming has carried traditions, fostered community, and inspired joy across generations. At 10:00 pm, the celebration continues with a lively campus-wide dance party featuring music, food, and an open dance floor where everyone is welcome to join. Together, we'll honor traditions that not only celebrate the past but also inspire collective futures through movement, art, and connection.

Spaces for the drumming workshop are limited, so please RSVP if you wish to take part. The dance party is open to the entire campus community. This event is free and presented in collaboration with Collis After Dark
 

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Wednesday, October 29th |  6:00 PM
Dartmouth Hall 105

In collaboration with Dartmouth's Department of Spanish & Portuguese, the Leslie Center for Humanities, and the Department of Theater, the 2025 Latine and Caribbean Heritage Celebration is honored to welcome Professor Ana Laura Santamaría (Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico) as this year's keynote speaker.

Professor Santamaría will lead us in an exploration of the life and legacy of Rosario Castellanos through "Otro Modo de Ser," an interdisciplinary performance in Spanish. Rooted in the poetry of this renowned Mexican writer, the performance highlights Castellanos's role as a feminist pioneer and influential intellectual, whose work continues to inspire conversations about justice, gender, and cultural identity. 

This dynamic presentation offers a compelling educational opportunity for Dartmouth students and the broader community, inviting reflection on Castellanos's contributions and their relevance to equity, inclusivity, and collective futures today.
 

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Monday, November 3rd |  6:00 PM
Shabazz Mural Room

In partnership with the Tucker Center, the 2025 Latine and Caribbean Heritage Celebration invites the Dartmouth community to gather for a special Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Interfaith Dinner. This evening will explore the cultural significance of remembrance and community grieving, honoring the traditions of Día de Muertos while creating space for dialogue across faiths and backgrounds. Rooted in the values of memory, love, and connection, the program affirms how rituals of honoring the past can sustain us in the present.
This dinner is more than a cultural celebration; it is an invitation to reflect on the ways grief, memory, and resilience unite us all. By engaging with diverse practices of honoring those who came before us, we open possibilities for deeper understanding, compassion, and solidarity across communities. Together, we recognize that resilience is not just about looking forward but also about carrying the wisdom of the past as we imagine more compassionate and inclusive futures.
 

• Chair: Edgar Santana Guerrero '27 
• Kayla Pena '27
• Michelle Vasquez '28
• Alondra Ajpacaja '28

Office of Institutional Diversity & Equity, Office of Pluralism and Leadership, Special Programs & Events Committee, Spanish and Portuguese Department, La Casa, Collis After Dark, Collis Center for Student Involvement, Leslie Center for Humanities, The Theater Department, The Hood Museum of Art, Sustainability Office, Outdoor Programs Office, American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire, Office of Visa and Immigration Services, International Students Experience Office, Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), Black Girls are Magic (BGAM), Central Americans United Student Association (CAUSA),  Quisqueyanos at Dartmouth (QU@D), International Employee Resource Network, Latino, Hispanic, & Caribbean Employee Resource Network, Queer Student Advising, Coley Communications.
 

Events hosted by the Dartmouth Association of Latino Alumni

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Saturday, September 6th - Academy Familismo: Supporting Latinas in Higher Education
The Department of Sociology and the Dartmouth Association of Latino Alumni (DALA) invite you to a virtual conversation with Dr. Aidé Hernández (IG: @gradconmigo), a sociologist whose research examines the experiences of Latinas in graduate and professional programs and the strategies that foster academic, professional, and personal success.

9:0AM PST /12 PM EST  
Register: shorturl.at/IoIOq

Events hosted by the Geisel School of Medicine 

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Keynote Speaker: Paula A. Medina Diaz, MD, MPH '24
 

Date: Friday, October 3. 2025
Time: 5:00 - 6:00 PM
Location: Kellogg 200 + Zoom
Mercadito reception at Kellogg Mezzanine after Keynote
 

Join us for a timely conversation with Dr. Paula A. Medina Diaz on the power of community, resilience in trying times, and life lessons she's learned along the way during her medical and science journey.

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¡Bienvenidos al Mercadito!

Date: Friday, October 3, 2025
Time: 6:15 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Kellogg Mezzanine

Join us for an unforgettable evening that celebrates the rich and diverse culinary heritage of Latine, Hispanic, and Caribbean cultures. The Mercadito transforms the Kellogg Mezzanine into a vibrant event of flavors, colors, and rhythms that will transport your senses across Latin America, the Caribbean, and beyond! Bring your friends for an evening filled with culinary delights, cultural celebration, and joyous community spirit!