A few of the Hispanic Heritage Month event organizers. (From left) Eliezer Rodriguez, owner of Koki Latin Cuisine, Vanessa Codorniu, owner of The Biz Bruja, Andrea Grove, owner of Elementary Coffee Co.
A series of Hispanic Heritage Month events will showcase the diversity and creativity within the Harrisburg area’s Latino population.
A group of local professionals have organized a month-long celebration including food, music and wellness activities, all with the goal of fostering a sense of community and exemplifying the ways Latinos express themselves.
The festival, running from Sept. 14 through Oct. 13, will offer events in Harrisburg and New Cumberland.
“We are creatives, we are entrepreneurs. We are so diverse,” said Eliezer Rodriguez, owner of Koki Latin Cuisine and one of the organizers. “I don’t think people really realize how diverse Latinos really are.”
The range of events was curated to display that diversity and creativity of the community, pushing back against stereotypes, organizers explained.
The opening event of the month, “Café con Pan,” will use coffee and food to bring people together at Elementary Coffee Co. in Harrisburg to share their cultural stories and experiences with coffee, an important part of Latino culture. Other events include a vendor market, happy hour with networking, a Latino improv group and dance and spiritual medicine workshops.
“Hispanic Heritage Month is a unique opportunity for us who identify as Hispanic or Latinx to show off who we are and why we are so proud of our ethnicity,” said Leslie Avila, another organizer. “Being Latinx means so many different things to different people, so this is important to us, for us to express who we are.”
Several event organizers also shared how they hope the events allow members of the Latino community to form connections, something that can be challenging in a smaller city like Harrisburg.
“I’ve been here in Harrisburg almost 20 years at this point, but I feel like I’ve now found my people,” said Emil Rodriquez-Powell about connecting with the event team. “Even though I’m a Latino business owner and I’ve met so many people throughout the years, I am limited in my connection with other Latinos.”
Most events are free to the public, with a few charging a small fee. The group is also still looking for volunteers and sponsors for the month, as well as people who are willing to share their stories for the “Café con Pan” event.
Hispanic Heritage Month events include the following:
- Café Con Pan (Part 1 and Part 2), Sept. 14 at Elementary Coffee Co. in Harrisburg and Oct. 13 at Source Creative Space in New Cumberland: A unique community gathering celebrating the tradition of “Café con Pan” in Latino culture. We will kick off the month-long celebration with live storytelling and a celebration of coffee with empanadas and a variety of breads from different Latino and Caribbean countries, and we will end the month with a Cafe Con Pan party where we will show the stories we recorded on September 14.
- Latinx Night Market, Sept. 20 at Culture & Commerce Coworking Space in Harrisburg: Celebrate with Latino DJ artists, Hispanic vendors and artisans, and food tastings.
- Happy Hour, Sept. 26 at Kuora Lounge: An evening of networking, food and drink, and dance hosted by Young Professionals of Color – Greater HBG.
- “Latinx in Business: Meet The Team”, Oct. 4 at Source Creative Space in New Cumberland: Meet Latinx Creative Entrepreneurs behind the planning of this month-long celebration as they share their experiences, motivations and stories.
- Bomba y Plena, Oct. 6 at Source Creative Space in New Cumberland: A cultural dance and traditional practice workshop and performance.
- Ancestral Healing and Traditional Wellness, Oct. 6 at Source Creative Space in New Cumberland: Wellness experience highlighting cultural traditions of spiritual medicine, including healing ceremony, traditional meditation and yoga.
- Latino Improv Group Inaugural Performance, Oct. 11 at the HIT Theatre in Harrisburg: Comedy and performance from Harrisburg’s first Latino Improv Group.
Ultimately, organizers want to express that there’s no right way to express Latino culture and to show other community members the rich diversity of Latinos.
“You are Latino your way. There’s not anything that you have to fit into,” said Vanessa Codorniu, an organizer and owner of The Biz Bruja, an ancestral healing and coaching business. “Just show up, and we are going to love you as you are.”
For more information or to become a sponsor or volunteer, contact Leslie Avila at [email protected].
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
