Underground library talk kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month

On April 23, 2010, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed Arizona Senate Bill 1070, making it a misdemeanor for an undocumented alien to be in Arizona without carrying proper documentation and requires law enforcement to check for it in the event of questioning in relation to a crime.

Not long after, Arizona House Bill 2281 was signed, prohibiting any school classes that promote the overthrow of U.S. government, promote resentment toward any race or class, advocate ethnic solidarity instead of being individuals, or are designed for a certain ethnicity.

On Jan. 10, 2012, the Tucson Unified School District voted to shut down the Mexican-American Studies program, resulting in the ban of more than 80 books that were part of the curriculum.

In response, activists have set up underground libraries in several cities, including Houston, El Paso, Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Tucson containing books on Hispanic history and culture.

Ernest Olivo, director of the San Antonio location, will be discussing the library in Room 218 of the nursing complex from 10:50 a.m.-12:05 p.m. Tuesday.

This will kick off the events for Hispanic Heritage Month at this college.

The Underground Library at 1412 E. Commerce contains an estimated 1,000 books on Latino/Chicano culture as well as other ethnic backgrounds by well-known authors such as Sandra Cisneros, Dagoberto Gilb and even William Shakespeare, donated by the Librotraficante caravan.

Librotraficante literally translates to “book smugglers.”

Office hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Anyone can check out a book for two weeks as long as they provide a name, phone number and email address.

A full list of banned books can be found at Librotraficante’s website www.librotraficante.com.

In other Hispanic events on campus this week in Room 218 of the nursing complex, visual artist Adriana Corral will be presenting 10:50 a.m.-12:05 p.m. Thursday as well as giving a lecture on the serial killing of women in Juarez dating back to 1993.

Students United for the Dream Act will be presenting “What Dreamers Should Know about the Deferred Action Policy” 9 a.m.-9:50 a.m. Friday.

The Dream Act is legislation that if passed would allow undocumented students to go to college in the U.S. and obtain citizenship.

Three events are scheduled for Sept. 26.

An Antojitos Festival will last from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in the mall.

Dr. Larissa Mercado-Lopez, Fitness Cultures blogger for the San Antonio Express-News will present “Fitness y Cultura: Blogging at the Intersections of Gender, Identity, Culture and Health” 10 a.m.-10:50 a.m. in Room 218 of the nursing complex.

The last event on Wednesday will be a lecture by Adam Rocha, director of the San Antonio Film Festival from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in Room 101 Longwith Radio, Television and Film Building.

For more information, call English Professor Patricia Portales at 210-486-0681.