Twenty-five students marched to the Campanile from nearby Ross and Curtiss Halls just after noon yesterday to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month at Iowa State.

Ronnie Cordova, a freshman in pre-veterinary medicine, was present for the celebration. “I liked it because it’s a motivation and makes students want to progress in their studies,” he said.

Cordova is originally from Lima, Peru, but has been in the U.S. for six years. He said he plans on getting involved with the Latino Studies program on campus.

“I would like to become a leader for Latinos,” Cordova said.

The celebration was held to call attention to the importance of the Latino population in Iowa and the United States.

Speakers included Dr. Hector Avalos, chairman of the university’s U.S. Latino Studies Program; Susana Rundquist, program assistant for the Office of Minority Student Affairs; and Ed Mu¤oz, professor of sociology and Latino studies.

Hispanic Heritage Month, which began in the 1980s, runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, incorporating los Dias de la Independencia (Independence Days) of several Hispanic countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Chile and Ecuador.

Mu¤oz tried to “dispel misconceptions that [Latinos] are a new people out here and are just trying to steal jobs.”

According to the latest census, there are nearly 40,000 Hispanic people in Iowa, although Avalos estimated 50,000 to 60,000 would be more accurate. He also said there are about 300 Latinos on campus.

“Businesses are looking for people who can market to Latinos,” Avalos said, particularly people who can relate to Latinos and understand their health practices to assist in the medical profession.

When Avalos came to ISU three years ago, it was to initiate a Latino Studies Program to increase understanding of Hispanic people living in the United States. When he came, there were no courses in the discipline. Now there are four.

However, Mu¤oz said, there is still “unfinished business” in developing the Latino Studies Program. For example, there are no regular courses in Latino literature or history.

“We are trying to get the word out about our program,” Avalos said. “Latino Studies is not just for Latinos. It’s for everyone.”

Rundquist talked about the importance of “bringing people together and educating people.”

She will be bringing students from Chicago to ISU later this fall. “I want them to see a more multi-cultural community here,” she said.

Paula Plasencia, president of Mexican American Young Achievement Society (MAYAS), said she wanted to “start a fire under your feet and a fire in your heart.”

She mentioned the recent movement in Washington to establish English as America’s national language and a repeal of the coverage of Latinos under the Voting Rights Act as problems Latinos face.

She also said that although President Clinton was invited to all the annual conventions of Hispanic groups, including those of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and the League of United Latin-American Citizens, he did not attend.

“We feel like we’re being taken for granted,” Plasencia said. “Despite our growth as a group, we are not fully recognized or appreciated by politicians.”

Plasencia urged everyone present to get involved and use their power to vote.

“Starting today, no attack on our community will go unanswered,” she said.