WYOMISSING, Pa. — Beginning in mid-September, Penn State Berks will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a variety of events; each event is intended for a specific audience, including prospective and current students, the campus community, and the general public. Members of the general public must register in advance. 

Google my Business profile in Spanish 

• 6:30–7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 12, at the Berks LaunchBox, located within the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in downtown Reading 
• This event is free and open to the public but all attendees must register in advance.  

In this workshop presented in Spanish, attendees will learn how setting up a free Google Business Profile can help them to better connect with their customers. Participants will learn how to create or claim their Business Profile on Google, manage their business information across Google Search and Maps, use Google Business Profile to connect with potential customers and much more.

Charlas con Chocolates  

• 3:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Sept. 13–Nov. 15, Franco Building, Room 105  
• This event is for Penn State Berks students, faculty and staff. Area high school Spanish classes are also welcome to attend and must register in advance by contacting Donna Chambers at DMC6004@psu.edu.  

This weekly gathering allows participants to enjoy cultural conversations and word games in Spanish while sampling chocolates of the Americas. 

Hispanic Heritage Month opening celebration  

• 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 14, Perkins Student Center, Multipurpose Room 1 
• This event is free and open to the public. Attendees must register in advance by contacting Donna Chambers at DMC6004@psu.edu.  

Javier Ávila, professor of English, poet, novelist and public speaker, will deliver the keynote presentation, “The Road to Trouble,” followed by a reception. He has earned numerous awards, including the Cultural Arts Award from the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education. Using the power of poetry and storytelling to deliver a powerful message about unity and inclusion, he offers a close examination of the American-Latinx experience.  Ávila takes the audience on a journey as he moves between cultures, navigating a world of misunderstandings and misconceptions, and providing a fascinating perspective on what it means to balance assimilation with cultural preservation.

This event is supported by the Humanities Institute, the Berks Campus Student Fee, the Howard O. and Jean Beaver Endowment for Guest Lecturers at Berks Campus, and the Mrs. Harold McI. Grout and Mrs. C. Glenn Kauffman Endowment for the Arts.

Fiesta Latina 

• 5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 18, Perkins Student Center, Multipurpose Room 1 
• This event is free and open to the public. Attendees must register in advance by contacting Donna Chambers at DMC6004@psu.edu.  

An annual event celebrating Latin heritage, this year’s Fiesta Latina will feature the theme ‘One Language, Many Cultures.’ The event will include live performances and other presentations, followed by a taste of Latin cuisine. This event is sponsored by the Penn State Berks Diversity Committee. 

Penn State Day 

• 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 7, Perkins Student Center 
• Prospective students and their families are invited to this visitation program, which is part of the University's campus-wide "Penn State Day.” Attendees must register in advance.

Students will hear an admissions and financial aid presentation followed by personal stories and experiences shared by Penn State Berks alumni. Then they will take a full campus tour with Lion Ambassador student tour guides. All students who attend Penn State Day, and have not yet applied, will have the $65 Penn State application fee waived. For more information, visit berks.psu.edu/visit, call 610-396-6060, or email berksadmissions@psu.edu.  

Latino Forum 

• 9:30–11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Perkins Student Center Auditorium  
• This event is open to students from all Berks County high schools, as well as members of the local Latinx community. All attendees must register in advance by contacting Donna Chambers at DMC6004@psu.edu.  

During the eleventh annual Latino Forum, Roy Juarez, Jr. will deliver the keynote presentation, “My Bag, My Home,” followed by tours of the campus. Juarez founded the human development company IMPACTtruth, Inc. in 2005 with a dream to inspire youth and reunite families by sharing his turbulent yet inspirational life story. In 2018, Juarez published “Homeless by Choice: A Memoir of Love, Hate, and Forgiveness,” a riveting account of his decision to live homeless again – this time by choice.

The mission of the Latino Forum is to empower Latino students to pursue higher education. The event provides inspiration and motivation for students as they learn that higher education is both desirable and attainable.

This event is supported by the Humanities Institute, the Berks Campus Student Fee, the Howard O. and Jean Beaver Endowment for Guest Lecturers at Berks Campus, and the Mrs. Harold McI. Grout and Mrs. C. Glenn Kauffman Endowment for the Arts.

Bilingual Storytelling  

• 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 2, Lauer’s Park Elementary School 
• Penn State Berks faculty and students will present bilingual, dramatic readings of traditional stories for local elementary schools. This is not a public event. 

For additional information on these events, contact Donna Chambers, assistant teaching professor of Spanish, at 610-396-6332 or via email at DMC6004@psu.edu.