Events to showcase Hispanic culture

  • Published
  • By Bud Cordova
  • Nucleus writer

Kirtland Air Force Base is set to begin the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

Two events are planned for the month’s celebration with a luncheon Sept. 22 and a 5K fun run and carnival Sept. 23.

“It’s about wanting to share the Hispanic culture with friends, teammates and neighbors,” said 150th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs specialist Jessica L. Pacheco Semenyuk.

Hispanic Heritage Month started as a heritage week in 1968. It changed into a heritage month when President Ronal Regan implemented Hispanic Heritage celebrations lasting 30 days in 1988.

Five Latin American countries celebrate their independence days on Sep. 15.

Hispanics have had continuous settlements in the Americas since more than 42 years prior to the English settling in Jamestown, Virginia.

“A key component of the Air Force is diversity,” Pacheco Semenyuk said.

She added celebrating heritage months is a way to learn about the different cultures that make up the Air Force.

The luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at the Mountain View Club is meant to be an education event on Hispanic culture. The meal will cost $12 and is a beef and chicken fajita buffet.

It will be a more formal with presentation of the colors, an invocation, a guest speaker and a musical performance.

New Mexico National Guard Adjunct General Brig. Gen. Andrew Salas will provide opening remarks for the luncheon.

The guest speaker will be Sidney Gutierrez. He is a retired colonel who grew up in Albuquerque. 

Gutierrez was a pilot with more than 4,500 hours on approximately 30 types of aircraft and was part of NASA. He has been to space twice in the course of his career.

The Youth Center also has been involved with Hispanic Heritage month by making the centerpieces for the tables. The youth are making flowers out of papier mâché.

The carnival begins at 3 p.m. on Sept. 23 at Harding Field. Guest can register for the 5K fun run at this time. To register for the run the cost is $10 for children and $15 for adults.

Children from the Presbyterian Oncology Center will participate in the run.

“Because there is a portion of the course that is gravel, we do have an alternate course for those with wheelchairs so they can still compete in the 5K,” Pacheco Semenyuk said.

Informational booths presenting education opportunities and scholarships for Hispanics will be set up. Also science, engineering, math and technology demonstrations will be presented.

Several off-base community organizations will give cultural demonstrations in dance and music.

On going events for the carnival will include a car show and a hot air balloon demonstrations.

“This is an unprecedented event. It’s never been this big before and we used so many ideas in combinations from prior committees,” Pacheco Semenyuk said. “It is seriously off the hook