Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center Launches Month-Long Celebration of Hispanic Heritage with Virtual Programs, Exhibit, Latino Collecting Initiative, and #JoCoTakeOutChallenge

From Spanish explorers, to Mexican traders and laborers, to recent Central and South American immigrants, the Kansas City region has deep Latino history. Today, the Latino community is Johnson County’s fastest growing population. National Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to honor the cultures and contributions of Latino Americans across the United States.

The Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center is proud to launch a month-long virtual celebration for National Hispanic Heritage Month. Building upon the success of last year’s in-person event, “An Evening of Latino Arts, Music, and Poetry,” and adapting to current gathering restrictions and health protocols, this year’s celebration is moving online. Join the Johnson County Museum and Johnson County’s Fine and Performing Arts Departments in celebrating the rich local Latino history, art, and culture September 15 through October 15. Full event details and links to special features available at https://www.jcprd.com/1566/Hispanic-Heritage-Month.

Hispanic Heritage 2020 Digital Features

September 15

• “Latinos in the Heartland/ Latinos en el Corazón de los Estados Unidos,” the Johnson County Museum’s 2019 bilingual exhibit is released online as a digital exhibit.

September 28

• Award-winning children’s author and Kansas native Angela Cervantes reads a selection from her novelization of Disney/Pixar’s Coco. 
• Give Away: Five lucky people watch the clip and comment will win a signed copy of the Cervantes’ popular book.

October 5

• Erik Erazo shares a unique look at Olathe School District’s Hispanic Leadership Lowrider Bike Club and the high school students seeking to make a difference in our community. 

October 8

• In “May Our Voices Ring True,” Kansas Poet Laureate Huascar Medina invites viewers to find their voice, share their words, and discover what truly connects us all through poetry. Program begins at 6pm on Zoom. Free program. Registration is required.
• This signature program is sponsored by Humanities Kansas with funding from the Barton P. and Mary Davidson Cohen Charitable Trust.

October 12

• An exploration of the history and culture of altares, family remembrance displays prepared for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead, observed on November 1 each year) with award-winning author, poet, artist, and scholar Xánath Caraza.

October 15

• Virtual Screening and discussion of “Borderlands,” a moving installment from Art21’s landmark tenth season of the Peabody Award-winning Art in the Twenty-First Century television series—the longest-running television series on contemporary art. This is a free program, but advance registration is required.

#JoCoTakeOutChallenge
Johnson County is home to many Latino-owned restaurants. Inside each establishment is a story that is part of our community’s history. Throughout the month, the Johnson County Museum will be highlighting Latino-owned restaurants in Johnson County, its story, and the restaurant’s signature dish. Followers will be encouraged to share their favorite dish from a local Latino-owned restaurant with the hashtag #JoCoTakeOutChallenge throughout the month. During the signature programs on October 8th and 15th, participants will be encouraged to share the dishes they are enjoying as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month together. 

Latino Collecting Initiative
Lastly, throughout the month the museum will share stories it has collected over the last year as a part of its Latino Collecting Initiative. Launched during the 2019 Hispanic Heritage Month, the Latino Collecting Initiative is helping the museum to tell a fuller and more inclusive story of Johnson County. Still going on today, the initiative has yielded fascinating stories that shed light on the diverse experiences of Johnson Countians. If you have a story or artifact to share about your experiences in Johnson County, email [email protected].

To learn more, and to catch up on what you might have missed, follow and the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center (@JoCoAHC #BeSomethingMore) and Johnson County Museum (@JoCoMuseum #JoCoHistory). For more information from the region and the country, explore #HispanicHeritageMonth.