Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off this week
The 2017 Hispanic Heritage Month calendar of events has been set and includes many diverse cultural and educational programs at Youngstown State University and throughout the community.
The Youngstown State University Latino Student Organization and the Hispanic Heritage Planning Committee through the YSU Office of Student Diversity Programs has partnered with the community for the celebration.
“Empowering America’s Future by Embracing Diversity” is the theme for this year's celebration. Hispanic Heritage Month runs Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. For more information, call 330-941-2087.
Thursday, Sept. 14, 12:15-1:15 p.m. Opening Ceremony, Mahoning County Courthouse, Rotunda (120 Market Street, Youngstown). The event will feature a flag ceremony representing 22 Hispanic countries as well as musical performances. Opening remarks will be made by William Blake, Director of the YSU office of Student Diversity Programs. Special guests and dignitaries will be in attendance. The keynote speaker will be Ms. Paulina Montaldo, Ursuline High School Spanish Teacher and YSU Adjunct Faculty in Foreign Languages and Literatures. Event co-sponsored by: the YSU Latino Student Organization, Hispanic Heritage Planning Committee, and Office of Student Diversity Programs. For further information, call 330-941-2087.
Thursday, Sept. 15 – Friday, Oct. 13 Notable Latinos, YSU Maag Library, Main Floor. A display of items from the Maag Library collection featuring the important contributions of renowned Latino authors, poets, musicians, painters, etc. The exhibit will be located on the main floor of Maag Library on the YSU campus. For information contact Ana Torres at 330-941-1717 or amtorres02@ysu.edu.
Sunday, Sept. 17, 4:00 p.m. The Lady of Guadalupe Fundraiser Dinner, St. Brendan’s Church, Maxwell Hall, 2800 Oakwood Avenue, Youngstown. Sponsored by the Lady of Guadalupe Mass Committee and the Mexican Society of Youngstown. The dinner choices are Chicken Enchilada or Chicken Fajita served with rice and beans. Cost is $10 per dinner. Tickets available at the door or in advance by calling Frank Nolasco 330-770-5646.
Thursday, Sept. 28, 9:00-11:00 a.m. ECHHO College Fair, OCCHA, 3660 Shirley Road, Youngstown. The Annual Educators and Community Helping Hispanics Onward, Inc. (ECHHO) College Fair is for underrepresented high school students and their parents to learn about the college preparation process and the Hispanic/Latino scholarships available to those who qualify. Co-sponsored by YSU’s Office of Admissions, OCCHA, and ECHHO. For information, contact Maggie McClendon at 330-941-3243 or visit www.echho.org.
Friday, Sept. 29, 3:00 p.m. Object Tracking with Point Cloud Data in Automated Driving Applications, YSU Lincoln Building, Cafaro Suite, Room 510. Presentation by Dr. Mariano Gonzalez, Algorithm Engineer at Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. Even in modern vehicles, processing power is a valuable commodity. Thus, a common problem in autonomous driving is finding efficient algorithms for tracking objects using RADAR and LIDAR data. Objects identified in the data are used to make decisions on whether the car should take a specific action or warn the driver. An overview of the hardware and software employed in automated driving will be presented, along with a discussion of the limitations of the technology. The talk will conclude with a work example identifying and tracking objects using simulated RADAR data. Sponsored by the YSU Mathematics and Statistics Department, the Office Student Diversity Programs, and the Mathematical Association of America through a Tensor-SUMMA Program grant. For more information, contact Dr. Alicia Prieto Langarica at aprietolangarica@ysu.edu.
Sunday, Oct. 1, 3:00 p.m. 7th Annual Non-Violence Parade & Rally, Youngstown, Ohio. Join the YSU Hispanic Heritage Planning Committee and the YSU Latino Student Organization as they participate in the annual Non-Violence parade. The parade line-up begins at 2:00 p.m. on W. Wood Street and Wick Avenue and proceeds downtown. For details about the parade, contact Penny Wells at 330-788-0545 or pennywwells@sbcglobal.net.
Thursday, Oct. 5, 5:30 p.m. Breast Cancer & Legal Matters Awareness Seminar, OCCHA Social Hall, 3660 Shirley Road, Youngstown. Women generally assume the responsibility of caregivers and most often neglect their own health care and the importance of estate planning. Dr. Consuelo Mendez (Internal Medicine) and Dr. Zoraida Mendez (Oncologist with Salem Hospital Community Hospital) will provide information on breast cancer awareness and early detection. Attorney Miriam Ocasio will explain the importance of Wills and Power of Attorney. Please join us for these free informational sessions and light refreshments. Pre-registration is required. Call OCCHA at 330-781-1808.
Friday, Oct. 6, 3:00-5:00 p.m. International Students Coffee Hour, YWCA, 25 W. Rayen Avenue, Youngstown. Join us as we mingle with YSU students and the community, and enjoy the delicacies of Latino desserts, coffee, and music. Co-sponsored by the YSU Hispanic Heritage Planning Committee and the Office of Student Diversity Programs. For more information call 330-941-2087.
Saturday, Oct. 14, 12:00-3:00 p.m. Hispanic Heritage Celebration, YSU Kilcawley Center, Chestnut Room. This main event, free, and open to the public, will feature music entertainment, dance performances, children’s activities, cultural displays, student awards, vendors, information tables and ethnic refreshments. Dancing will follow to the beat of DJ Kenny Reyes. Parking is free for the first 50 guests in the M-1 Wick Avenue parking deck. Advise parking attendant that you are attending the Hispanic Heritage Celebration to receive a parking pass. Event coordinated by the YSU Latino Student Organization and the YSU Hispanic Heritage Planning Committee through the Office Student Diversity Programs with support from campus and community organizations. For information, call 330-941-2087.
Saturday, Oct. 14, 6:00-9:00 p.m. OCCHA Youth Talent Show, OCCHA Social Hall, 3660 Shirley Road, Youngstown. OCCHA presents its first Youth Talent Show on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Teenagers ages 13-18 are welcome to participate and showcase their talents in dancing, singing, instruments, and magician skills. Pre-registration is required by Sept. 22. Performers fee is $5. Entrance tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children (ages 6-18). Call 330-781-1808 for further information.
Friday, Oct. 20, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Rural and Small Town Immigration to Ohio: Transformation of the Social Landscape, Youngstown Historical Center of Industry & Labor (a.k.a. Steel Museum) 151 W. Wood St., Youngstown. Join us for a panel discussion with Jeff Stewart, coordinator of the Immigrant Worker Project at Centro San Jose in Canton, Ohio, as he discusses the struggle for justice and human dignity of the rural immigrant workers in Ohio. Light refreshments will be served. Organized by the YSU Latino Student Organization. For further information, contact Grimilda Ocasio at 330-941-3456 or Ana Torres at 330-941-1717.
Friday, Nov. 3, 5:30-11:00 p.m. OCCHA’s 45th Annual Fundraiser Gala, Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center, 7440 South Avenue, Youngstown. The Organización Cívica y Cultural Hispana Americana, Inc. (OCCHA), a social service agency serving the Hispanic and Multi-Cultural community, is celebrating 45 years of service with an adults-only fundraiser at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center. Cocktail hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and dinner is at 6:30 p.m. with musical entertainment. There will be auctions and drawings. Tickets are $50 per person. For tickets and information call 330-822-GALA or email occhagala@gmail.com.
Saturday, Nov. 18, 5:30 p.m. Veteran’s Appreciation Dinner, OCCHA Social Hall, 3660 Shirley Road, Youngstown. In observance of Veteran’s Day, OCCHA's 13th Annual Hispanic Veterans Appreciation Dinner will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2017. Social Hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., and the program at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.00 per person (includes dinner and drink). Music by DJ Chico. For tickets and information contact Will Pacheco 330-755-0430 or Hector Colon 330-782-0512.