Community Corner

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in Alameda and Nearby

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

Long before Alameda was an island, it was an oak-studded peninsula, part of the land holdings of Luis Maria Peralta, a member of an exploration party in the 1770s, and his family.

Today, about 11 percent of the city's population identifies as Latino or Hispanic, according to 2010 U.S. Census data.

Alameda and other Bay Area cities are celebrating historic and contemporary ties to Hispanic and Latino culture this month.

Find out what's happening in Alamedawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the culture and traditions of Americans whose ancestry runs through Spain, Mexico or the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. 

The observance started in September 1968, when Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, held during the week that included Sept. 15 and Sept. 16. Hispanic Heritage Week was expanded to a month in 1988 by Congress, effective the following year. 

Find out what's happening in Alamedawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively. Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is Oct. 12, also falls within this 30-day period.

This year's theme is "Many backgrounds, many stories… one American spirit." 

There are plenty of ways to join in the celebration. Here are a few of the Bay Area's best Hispanic and Latino events, exhibits and more in the coming weeks:

In Alameda

Flamenco dancing provides fitness with flair! , 1701 Lincoln Ave., has a new 10-week for adults and teens starting Sept. 23.

, the annual family carnival at , has been an Alameda tradition for over 50 years. This year it's on Oct. 1.

The holds its monthly Spanish Sing-Along for the whole family on Saturday, Oct. 8, at 10:30 a.m.

Around the Bay

Tour the historic Antonio Peralta House at Oakland's Peralta Hacienda Historical Park. Tours are offered weekdays and wekends. You can also tour San Leandro's historic house museum, Casa Peralta.

Visit  in Berkeley for musical entertainment and traditional performances from Mexico and Latin America. Of note: La Peña kicks off the fall 2011 season of Amiguitos de La Peña, its long-running Saturday morning concert series for families, on Oct. 1. Perennial kids' favorite José-Luis Orozco will be inducted into the La Peña Hall of Fame, with a reception after his performance.

, music director of Rita Moreno's Life Without Makeup, and his tug of war with modern Latin culture on Berkeley Patch. Then , a Latina icon, at the Berkeley Rep. 

The 2011 San Francisco Latino Film Festival includes free screenings in San Francisco, Berkeley, Marin and San Jose.

Visit the Mexican Museum for a dose of Latino art and creative expression. Exhibits include the Tequila Don Julio Collection, which opens to the public on Sept. 23. 

Take a trip to the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts and discover a variety of events, screenings and performances.

Online

Check out the National Hispanic Heritage Month website from the Library of Congress, which includes history, events and images.

Teachers and parents can introduce their students and children to Hispanic history through the interactive scholastic website, Celebrate Hispanic Heritage

Take a historical tour of the California coast through the National Park Service website. Nearby sites rish with Hispanic history include the Presidio of San Francisco and Fort Point National Historic Site in San Francisco.

On Television

KQED hosts a month-long celebration of Latino culture with programs ranging from documentaries to dance performances. Check out the full guide for Hispanic Heritage Month here

Dixie Jordan contributed to this article.


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