FSU experts available to discuss National Hispanic Heritage Month

Story Courtesy of FSU News

Florida State University’s Lilian Garcia-Roig, an internationally recognized visual artist specializing in painting from the College of Fine Arts.

National Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off September 15 and will bring with it a celebration of the culture, history and contributions of those citizens whose ancestors came from Mexico, South and Central America, the Caribbean and Spain. 

September 15 is a significant date in Hispanic culture as it is the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16, while Chile celebrates its on September 18. 

National Hispanic Heritage Day began in 1968 with a one-week celebration but was expanded in 1988 and enacted into law that same year. 

Florida State University experts are ready to help contextualize and provide nuanced perspective to this celebration that encompasses the social, artistic, culinary and greater cultural contributions of this vibrant part of American society.

Marcos Colón, postdoctoral scholar, Modern Languages and Linguistics
mcolon@fsu.edu , (215) 200-5090

Colón’s research focuses on Brazilian literary and cultural studies, with a particular emphasis on representations of the Amazon in 20th and 21st century Brazilian literature and film.

Carla Della Gatta, assistant professor of English
cdellagatta@fsu.edu  

Della Gatta is an expert in the fields of Latinx theater and performance, bilingual theater, Shakespeare, and LGBTQ theater. Her current work is on race, ethnicity and the classics.

“From West Side Story to In the Heights and beyond, Latinx representation in theater and film has shifted with the formation and fissures of identity categories and demographics. Latinx artists have always been an integral part of American theater and film, from the silent movie era to Hamilton.”

Lilian Garcia-Roig, Art Professor and Department of Art Chair 
lgarciaroig@fsu.edu , (850) 644-8254

Born in Havana Cuba, Garcia-Roig is most known for her visceral, on-site painting series of dense landscapes from across the country as well as large-scale installations. Through her career she has earned numerous international awards and fellowships, most recently earning a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship.