Detail of Mural painting "Entry into the Forest". by Candido Portinari. Photograph by Carol M. Highsmith, taken between 1980 and 2006 (Library of Congress) https://www.loc.gov/item/2011631432
Harvest of Empire: The Untold Story of Latinos in America
October 3rd (Thursday evening) 6:30-8pm Community Room (Rm 1731) on the First Floor of the 1700 Building. Free!
A powerful documentary that exposes the direct connection between the long history of U.S. intervention in Latin America and the immigration crisis we face today. From the territorial expansionist policies that decimated the young economies of Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba, to the covert operations that imposed oppressive military regimes in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador, Harvest of Empire provides an unflinching look at the origins of the growing Latino presence in the United States. Adapted from the landmark book written by journalist Juan Gonzalez, the film tells the story of an epic human saga that is largely unknown to the great majority of citizens in the U.S., but must become part of our national conversation about immigration.
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean , Central America , and South America.
The Hispanic Heritage observance began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402. The National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers (NCHEPM), announced the 2019 Hispanic Heritage Month theme: “Hispanic Americans: A History of Serving Our Nation.” The theme invites us to reflect on Hispanic American’s service and contributions to the history of our Nation.
The announcement was made during the Council’s April monthly meeting. NCHEPM members, associates, and partners from various federal agencies and affinity groups, including the general public, selected the theme through a voting process, which started in March 2019 with 12 theme submissions.
Veronica Vasquez, President of National Image Inc., submitted the winning theme, stating “Hispanic American have recently been subjective to attacks on our loyalty, it is now time to remind people of the many contributions of Hispanics to the history of our Nation. Hispanics have served and continue to serve our Nation with honor and valor in all aspects in the formation of our country. Our contributions are numerous."
