Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept.15 to Oct. 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
The Huntsville Center Equal Employment Opportunity Office Hispanic Heritage Month Special Emphasis Committee is sponsoring a Lunch and Learn on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to noon in the cafeteria.
The purpose of the celebration is to honor the histories, traditions, cultures and contributions of Hispanic Americans. The program will include a fusion of fashion and music with traditional Latin rhythms, and an audio visual tribute to famous Hispanic Americans in history.
Yazmina Gerousis, who works in the Center’s Business Management Office, is an event organizer for the occasion. She said she is excited about the Hispanic Heritage celebration because it will raise awareness about Hispanic culture in a very unique way.
"If you’ve ever wanted to learn more on Hispanic culture, then save the date,” Gerousis said. “We will have a demonstration of Latin music and dance, a cultural slideshow and fashion presentation, and a Latin Food Contest during the program. Attendees can watch Hispanic dancers perform the Latin dance styles, and learn the fun and easy steps and moves. We’ll bring the sounds of Latin American to life with a variety of songs and instruments. You’ll also get to see authentic Hispanic clothing that will take you on a journey throughout Latin America. It is an hour guaranteed to stimulate your senses!”
Lorronica Hamil, Contracting Directorate is also helping to coordinate the event. She said a Hispanic Heritage Month Committee member will send an email to Huntsville Center employees with links to Hispanic websites to get recipes for Hispanic dishes to give those who are interested in participating in the three cooking contests (Main Dish, Salsa and Dessert) a chance to try their hand at cooking authentic Latin cuisine. Participants are asked to bring in their cooked food items for judging during the event.
Angela Morton, chief of the Equal Employment Office at Huntsville Center oversees the Commander’s Special Emphasis Program at the Center. Morton said the Lunch and Learn is a good way to educate the Huntsville Center workforce about the importance of Latinos in our history.
“This event will help people understand the importance of Latinos in our history, and the contributions they’ve made,” Morton said. “We want to build on this learning experience. Every time Hispanic Heritage Month rolls around, we want to give our workforce an opportunity to learn something new about the Latino footprint in the U.S.,” she said.
If you’d like to volunteer to help with the Hispanic Heritage Month program contact Angela Morton at 256-895-1573