Sept. 15, 2022

Dear UAF community,

Today marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, a national celebration to honor the history, culture and influence of past generations who came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

The observance started in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson's administration as a weeklong celebration called Hispanic Heritage Week, and years later under President Ronald Reagan a law was enacted on Aug. 17, 1988, officially designating the 30-day period of Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.

The celebration starts mid-month because Sept. 15 marks the independence anniversary of the countries of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. It is followed by Mexico's Independence Day on Sept. 16 and Chile's on Sept. 18. Día de la Raza and Indigenous Peoples Day, recognized on the second Monday of October, also fall within this 30-day period.

While we celebrate Hispanic culture and community and the contributions of our Latino/Latina/Latinx friends, neighbors and colleagues during this month, we have every day throughout the year to learn more, and promote equity, inclusivity, and diversity. Thank you to the Department of Equity and Compliance, the Nanook Diversity & Action Center, and our diverse student organizations for all that you bring to our campus and our communities.

Thank you for choosing UAF.

— Dan White, chancellor