Hispanic Heritage Walk to be held Sept. 14

The Hispanic Heritage Walk will be occurring Saturday at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include a proclamation read at Centro Cultural Hispano by San Marcos City Manager Stephanie Reyes and San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson, followed by a walk that will end at the courthouse where there will be music, food and vendors. Pictured above is last year's Hispanic Heritage Walk.
Provided by Hispanic Heritage Walk committee

Pictured Hays County Commissioners Court recognized Sept. 14 as the Hispanic Heritage Exhibition Walk.
Photo courtesy of Hays County

The 3rd Annual Hispanic Heritage Exhibition Walk will be held on Sept. 14, and Hays County Commissioners Court recognized it as Hispanic Heritage Exhibition Walk Day.

The proclamation encouraged citizens to “recognize the positive impacts of the county's Hispanic people,” and the county invited citizens to participate in the walk, which serves as a kick-off event for Hispanic Heritage month.

The event starts at 10 a.m. at Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos. Walkers will head up South LBJ and end at the Hays County Historic Courthouse where participants will find music, food and vendors. The event will end at approximate- ly 3 p.m. Proceeds raised during the event will assist in the granting of scholarships to local students to further education.

“The recorded Hispanic Heritage has been part of the DNA of American culture for over 480 years with undeniable influence in education, public safety, infrastructure, economic development and governance,” the proclamation stated. “In the words of Cesar Chavez, ‘Preservation of one's own culture does not require the contempt or disrespect for other cultures,’ and, thus, celebrate the contributions of the robust Hispanic Diaspora that includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela.”

The proclamation stated that Hays County is proud of its Mexican heritage, which includes Native American and Spanish blood and many identities such as Mexican-American, Chicano, Latino, Spanish, Tejano or Hispanic.

“Humanity and centuries of hope and sacrifice has brought us to commemorate the strong and visible roots of Hispanic Heritage, which has contributed to the infrastructure in farming, business, science and the performing arts, in the national, regional and local landscape of our nation,” the proclamation stated. “Hays County encourages and promotes strong and inclusive communities that recognize and celebrate efforts to bring people together for a greater good.”

The event is sponsored by Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos and LULAC #654.