September 3, 2009

Hispanic Heritage Month at California State University, Fresno features two major celebrations: Chicano Alumni Football Fiesta Night at the Saturday, Sept. 5, football game, and a Latino Heritage Festival on Nov. 1, cosponsored by the Central Valley Cultural Heritage Institute on campus.

Also planned is Migrant Youth Day, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 29. It is presented annually by the university’s College Assistance Migrant Program to motivate and prepare migrant youth in grades 9-11 for college.

The three organizations are among many at Fresno State serving Latino students, who constitute about 33 percent of the 21,170 enrolled this semester.

Football Fiesta Night begins at 3 p.m. with live pregame music at Bulldog Boulevard and a special halftime salute. Kickoff for the game against UC Davis is 7 p.m.

Co-sponsored by the football team and Chicano Alumni with community partners, Football Fiesta Night salutes the Latino community. Community sponsors are Univision’s KFTV-Channel 21, Lotus Communications and the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The Latino Heritage Festival (9 a.m.–5 p.m. Nov. 1) is presented by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Cultural Heritage Institute, a campus-community collaboration dedicated to the celebration and study of the region’s cultural heritage, diversity and contributions.

Students are planning additional Hispanic Heritage Month events for the observance of Mexican Independence Day in mid-September.