In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15-October 15, Madison Public Library will host a series of events highlighting the achievements and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans and celebrating Hispanic and Latino American culture. Throughout the rest of the year, upcoming events in Spanish or about Latinx culture and resources in Spanish will also appear here.
Madison Public Library provides free and equitable access to cultural and educational experiences. The library celebrates ideas, promotes creativity, connects people, and enriches lives, with an emphasis on promoting literacy and equity in library collections, services, and programs.
Events
Sirena Flores Portrait Exhibition
September - December 2024 | Meadowridge Library
From Sirena's exhibit application: People of color are often under represented in mainstream media, cartoons, picture books, etc. Children of color deserve representation, inclusion, and to feel special. Taking inspiration from artists of color like Faith Ringgold and Frida Kalo, Flores' art is centered around positivity, diversity, and representation. She specializes in portraits, and characters and her exhibition features painted characters of children of all ethnicities feeling happy, and proud - as scientists, engineers, superheros, dancers, etc.
This series of paintings has positive words on or around each character, and were created so that everyone can see someone who looks like them--this helps promote self confidence and self-love. Flores also intends to create prints/outlines of these paintings that can be used as coloring pages or a coloring book- not only does seeing the art make you feel good, but getting to take your own customized little piece of art home is also a special and memorable feeling.
About the Artist
Sirena Flores identifies as Afro-Latina. She comes from a variety of cultures and experiences as an artist, poet, activist, community builder, healer, teacher, and learner. She also identifies as disabled and LGBTQ+. Flores is an UW-Madison 2023 alum who doubled-majored in Sociology and Political Science, with a minor in African Studies. She is both a trained and self-taught artist and has grown her art business simultaneously while going to college.
Saturday Music Series: Tzera
September 7, 11am - 12pm | Pinney Library
Tzêra is a singer-songwriter, self-taught guitarist native to Puerto Rico. Her upbringing in the Caribbean exposed her to an eclectic fusion of rhythmic genres, such as Ska, Funk, Salsa, Latin Jazz, Reggaetón, and R&B. Drawing inspiration from her cultural background as well as her experiences, Tzêra's passion for music materializes in a peculiar repertoire of songs that she has been performing throughout Madison, Wisconsin for the past two years. Accompanying her soulful voice with her mellow guitar playing, these honest performances include an array of autobiographical unreleased tracks such as “El Taxi”, “Addicted to you”, and “Aretes color Sol,” as well as captivating renditions of songs from artists with diverse backgrounds, like, Cultura Profética, Amy Winehouse, Nathy Peluso, and much more.
Click here for more information about Tzêra
This series is sponsored by the Friends of Pinney Library.
First Friday Films: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna)
September 6, 6-8pm | Lakeview Library
A Mexican boy embarks on an illegal border-crossing adventure in hopes of reuniting with his mother, an undocumented immigrant working as a domestic in L.A. He is forced to make the dangerous journey after the death of his grandmother, who was taking care of him in Mexico.
Rating: PG-13 | Drama/Adventure | 109 minutes
Friday Family Films: Encanto
September 20, 5:30-7:45pm | Goodman South Madison Library
Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.” tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.
Sit back and enjoy a great family movie at the Goodman South Madison Library. Snacks provided; no registration required.
Grupo de Conversación en Español | Spanish Conversation Group
¡Acompáñenos! Los miembros del Grupo de Conversación en Español de University League ofrecen este programa de conversación gratis para adultos con nivel intermedio o avanzado, del segundo y cuarto jueves del mes (en el tarde del segundo, en la noche de cuarto), en la biblioteca Sequoya. Los principiantes que quieran escuchar el idioma, serán bien recibidos.
Come join us! Members of the University League's Spanish Conversation Interest Group will host this free monthly conversation for adults with intermediate to advanced level Spanish skills on the second and fourth Thursday each month (meeting in the afternoon on the second, in the evening on the fourth). Beginners who want to listen to the language are also invited.
First Friday Films: Stand and Deliver
October 4, 6-8pm | Lakeview Library
Edward James Olmos stars as Jaime Escalante in this inspirational true story about a teacher and the unmotivated East Los Angeles high school students who he inspires, badgers, threatens and humors into learning the most demanding of all math sciences--calculus. But the accomplishment is so utterly fantastic that the students are accused of cheating. Given a choice to accept the allegation or retake an extremely demanding examination to prove themselves, the students decide to Stand And Deliver. In 2011, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Rating: PG | Drama/Biography | 105 minutes
Friday Family Films: Coco
October 18, 5:30-7:45pm | Goodman South Madison Library
A boy named Miguel dreams of becoming a famous guitar player, despite the misgivings of his close-knit family. When his lofty ambitions cause him to run afoul of a curse, he must journey into the Land of the Dead to seek forgiveness from his ancestors.
Sit back and enjoy a great family movie at the Goodman South Madison Library. Snacks provided; no registration required.
Bilingual Storytime (ages 5 and under) / Hora de cuentos bilingües (para los niños de 0 a 5 años)
October 19, 10-10:30am | Pinney Library
¡LEE y JUEGA junto con otros niños de 0 a 5 años, en inglés y español! Participar con libros, canciones y experiencias divertidas ayuda a los niños a desarrollar la comunicación, paciencia, empatía y habilidades de la alfabetización temprana y ayuda a desarrollar un amor eternal por la lectura! Los programas de la biblioteca son siempre gratuitos. Los hermanos y los grupos de cuidado infantil son bienvenidos.
READ and PLAY together with children 5 & under in English & Spanish! Engaging with books, songs and playful experiences all help children develop communication skills, patience, empathy, and pre-reading skills - and helps to build a lifelong love of reading. Library programs are always free. Siblings and childcare groups are welcome.
Explore Online Resources
Spanish Art of the Picture Book Collection
Many of these books were sourced from a trip to Guadalajara back in 2019 and they feature books on a variety of topics written and illustrated by Latinx folx. LEARN MORE
Kanopy Streaming Service
Kanopy is home to 30,000+ titles, including a fantastic collection for Latinx Heritage Month! You can watch movies, documentaries, cartoons, and more all from the comfort of your own home using a smart TV, tablet, smart phone, etc. All you need to sign up is your library card. SIGN UP
Latinx Book Lists
You can read books in Spanish, written by Latinx authors or that focus on Latinx characters throughout the month and beyond! Madison Public Library has lists on Latino Fiction, Memoir, History, Poetry and more. START BROWSING
Wisconsin’s Digital Library is a shared, state-wide collection of digital materials available to all Wisconsin public library card holders. It has thousands of popular eBook, eAudiobook, and digital magazine titles that you can read or listen to on most current mobile devices, tablets, phones, or your computer. Check out the celebration of Hispanic Authors they have going on right now! READ ON LIBBY
ComicsPlus
ComicsPlus is a huge collection of comics, graphic novels and manga available online with your library card! They've got a great collection of bilingual, Spanish and Latinx-driven stories called Hispanic Heritage, Latinx Voices. Plus, the great thing about ComicsPlus is that every title is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for offline reading -- no waiting on holds lists, no wasting data! TRY IT
Core Collections en EspañolNeed a little help finding good books for yourself or your family? One of our online databases, Core Collections, might be just the thing! It offers recommendations based on genre, age level, reviews, and more, and the cool part is that we now have a version of Core Collections en español (new this year)! This is particularly helpful for folks who want to find books that were originally published in Spanish vs. books that were translated from English. Core Collections is also a helpful resource for teachers and other educators who want to find titles for different age levels or want help with curriculum development. The classification, subject indexing, annotations, and grade level designations are great for identifying materials appropriate for classroom use. This is a little-known gem hidden among our online databases that has been helpful to us as library staff for making personalized recommendations to readers, but could also be a great resource to YOU in finding new materials!
Live Language Interpretation:
No matter what language you speak, we want to be able to offer assistance when you walk through the doors! Thanks to the City of Madison's Language Access Plan, we are able to offer live interpretation service through a program called Language Line. Offering more than 240 different languages, this service allows us to connect people to essential resources, find information, and navigate services.
Our Library IT Specialist Pat G. helped make it easy for desk staff to quickly use Language Line by putting together kits that are stationed behind the desk at every library. Staff will ask visitors to indicate on a sheet of paper the language they need, then connect two sets of headphones to the telephone, and quickly connect to the Language Line app for translation. The kits also include a webcam in case ASL or another form of sign language is needed.
Madison is home to people from all over the world, and we want the library to be a welcoming place of connection - regardless of the language you speak!
Other Community Events
UW-Madison Latine Heritage Month Celebration
September 15 - October 15
This year’s theme, Illuminating Our Voices, showcases how Latine people share their passions and cultures through the arts. Ranging from dance to music, the visual arts to comedy, these forms of expression have bold and vibrant histories within Latine communities. Illuminating Our Voices amplifies the diversity within Latine cultures and allows individuals to share their stories in connection with the community. Join us this month as we uplift Latine voices with joy, power and pride. See the full list of events for students and the public on their website.
Dreaming with Grit Feat. Saul Flores
Thursday, September 19, 5-7pm | DreamBank [821 E. Washington Ave]
Centered around a powerful message from keynote speaker, Saul Flores, guests are invited to savor traditional dishes from local-favorites, Mi Casa Es Tu Casa and La Taguara, and enjoy spirited music and dancing by Rebulú Group as we honor the rich cultural heritage of the Hispanic community. Saul Flores, a Mexican-Salvadoran storyteller and activist, will join as our special guest, inspiring and uniting around the idea of grit — how developing resolve and resilience can power your purpose, help you overcome life’s challenges and align you on a path to achieve your dreams.
Hispanic Heritage Celebration at Madison Children's Museum
October 10, 5-8pm | Madison Children's Museum
Join Madison Children’s Museum for an annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration where you'll enjoy a free evening of music, food, arts activities, cultural performances, and playful programs representing Latinx traditions across the world.
2024 Latino Health Fair/Feria de salud
Saturday, October 12, 10am - 2pm | Luther Memorial Church [1021 University Ave]
Annual Latino Health Council screenings designed for those with no or limited insurance. Free; childcare/transportation available. RSVP: 608-441-9918.