The Latino community of Iowa State University launched a month-long cultural celebration Monday.

A crowd of more than 100 students, faculty and staff participated in the kick-off to Hispanic Heritage Month on central campus.

The ceremony featured speeches by members of the ISU Latino community and other ISU officials.

Jos‚ Rivera, president of the ISU Latino Council, opened his remarks in Spanish with an English translation, before introducing Hector Avalos, program committee chair of Latino studies.

Avalos began by welcoming the addition of two new faculty in Latino studies. He then questioned the university’s motives in offering the new classes.

“Is Latino studies a concession to political correctness?” Avalos asked.

He emphasized the need in Iowa to be better educated about the 30-35 million Latinos in the country.

“We can’t have the best landgrant university in the country without a Latino history course,” he said.

Elizabeth Hoffman, departing dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, also discussed ISU’s minority studies programs.

“We need to be learning about the fastest growing group in the country, but we need to be doing it from a perspective of academic excellence,” Hoffman said.

“We need to have classes in Latino studies, African American studies, Women’s studies and American Indian studies,” she said.

Avalos presented Hoffman with a print of the Campanile and a Latino studies commemorative pencil for her efforts to establish and broaden the Latino studies program at ISU during her term as dean.

Rivera then introduced Thomas Hill, vice president of student affairs, who spoke on the need to educate and share with the masses at ISU and issued a challenge to the audience.

“If all of you get involved in this month’s activities, next year I’ll make these remarks in Spanish,” he said.

The keynote speakers for the event were Jos‚ Amaya and Mike Lozano. Amaya, one of the newest additions to the Latino Studies faculty, spoke on the place of Latino heritage in higher education.

“Latinos are not one nationality, one culture or one religious faith,” he said.

However, Latinos from all ethnic backgrounds have made significant contributions to the history of the United States, and their work has been “a catalyst for social change,” Amaya said.

KCCI-TV’s meteorologist Mike Lozano opened his speech in three different languages.

In Basque, Spanish and then in English, he said, “It’s very nice to be able to speak more than one language.”

Lozano said when he first came to Iowa 22 years ago, “Spanish was just not heard.”

Now, he said, Spanish is spoken all over the state in many different forms.

“Spanish has a richness, a culture that no other language has except English,” Lozano said, “but we can’t isolate ourselves by speaking only the language of which we’re so proud.”

Lozano closed his speech by prompting students to preserve the Hispanic language and culture.

“Language is a beautiful gift. We owe it to ourselves not to lose it. Our cultural heritage is also a beautiful gift. We owe it to our children not to lose it,” Lozano said.

Avalos ended the kick-off event with an encouragement to get involved in the many events celebrating Hispanic culture this month.

The events include an alcohol-free dance party on Friday, Oct. 17, which will attempt to “break a stereotype that Latinos cannot have fun without alcohol,” he said.

Liliana Alvarado, a sophomore in electrical engineering, and Jannyce Rodriguez, a sophomore in early childhood education, both came to the event to be a part of the ISU Latino community.

“We’re trying to make an impact. That’s why we’re supporting [the community],” Alvarado said.

Other events offered during Hispanic Heritage Month include a 2.5 mile fun run and one mile walk on Sept. 24, a showing of the film “The Hunt for Pancho Villa” on Sept. 26, and a Latin dance workshop on Oct. 16.