‘Bienvenida’ events and other cultural programs mark Hispanic Heritage Month for Bruins

UCLA is hosting an array of events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, inviting Bruins and the general public to take part in back-to-school bienvenida (or welcome) gatherings, open houses, lectures, book talks and performances.

This calendar represents a sample of the programming the Bruin community has to offer throughout the year. Be sure to follow campus units, such as the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, the Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies, the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture and the Latinx Success Center.

Sept. 17 to Oct. 5

LA Escena 2026: Hispanic classical theater festival

LA Escena, Los Angeles' biennial Hispanic classical theater festival, returns to UCLA from Sept. 17 to Oct. 5. Since 2018, LA Escena has brought the best of Southern California theater together with acclaimed performers from around the world to celebrate the theatrical tradition of the Spanish Golden Age in performance and adaptation - a period from the late 1500s to the early 1700s. Themes in these works reflect significant cultural, political and social changes across Europe and aim to expand modern audiences' concept of what constitutes the "classics." LA Escena is produced by UCLA's Diversifying the Classics project, which is based in the UCLA College Division of Humanities.

View the full schedule from UCLA Diversifying the Classics. Tickets for all performances at UCLA's Macgowan Hall are free, but advance registration is required. Tickets for "The King Born a Woman" will be available through the Red Bull Theater website.

Sept. 23, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Chicana/o and Central American Studies Department open house

The Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies will host an open house with opportunities to learn about major and minor programs, meet faculty members and graduate students, and mingle with newly admitted Bruins. Refreshments will be provided

This event will be held on the south patio of Bunche Hall. It is free to attend, but an advance RSVP is required.

Oct. 2 to Oct. 3

UC Latino Physician Consortium

The second annual UC Latino Physician Consortium brings together faculty, students, physicians, researchers and advocates in a conversation about how to build the next generation of Latino physicians. David E. Hayes-Bautista, director of UCLA's Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture, will be featured as a keynote speaker. The all-day summit will be held Oct. 2, followed by an evening networking social. A National Latino Physician Day celebration will take place on Oct. 3.

This event will be hosted by the UC Riverside School of Medicine and is open to all UC medical students, residents, fellows and physician alumni. Ticket pricing varies.

Oct. 5, 1:00 p.m.

"Time, Reciprocity and Extortion: Street Vending and Getting by in Tijuana's La Línea"

Join UCLA's Latin American Institute in conversation about the evolution of economic, political and social dynamics in "La Línea" - a term used in reference to the San Ysidro border port of entry between the U.S. and Mexico. Often described as the busiest border crossing in the world, La Línea is also home to a street marketplace that has developed alongside the lines of cars waiting to cross the border. The lecture will focus on how the street market reflects broader encounters and frictions between U.S. border policies and the economic development of Mexico, drawing on ethnographic fieldwork to analyze traditional models of reciprocity and how networks of extortion are sustained by violence.

This free hybrid event will be held in Bunche Hall, room 10383. Prior registration is required to attend virtually.

Oct. 6, 4:00 p.m.

Latin American Institute Fall Reception

Join the UCLA community at the Latin American Institute's fall reception to learn about upcoming academic programs, research opportunities and community outreach initiatives. Refreshments will be served.

This event will take place at Bunche Hall on the South Lawn. It is free to attend, but an advance RSVP is required.

Oct. 8, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

5th Annual Latinx Welcome

Join the Latinx Success Center in welcoming students and their families with an afternoon of food, entertainment, a resource fair and special remarks from campus leadership. This annual bienvenida event celebrates the close of Hispanic Heritage Month with welcoming messages to new and continuing students, and showcases campus-wide resources, organizations, and opportunities that foster community and connection.

The celebration will be held in UCLA's Wilson Plaza and is free and open to the public.

Oct. 9, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

UC Migration Series book talk: "Beyond Dreamers: Transitions to Adulthood in an Uncertain Age"

The "Dreamer" narrative often portrays undocumented youth as academically successful and awaiting immigration reform, but sociologists say this overlooks the diversity of their experiences and the challenges of adulthood. In this book talk, "Beyond Dreamers" authors Sofya Aptekar and Amy Hsin discuss how undocumented young adults' opportunities and choices are shaped not only by legal status but also by race, gender, class, family resources, sexuality, education and community. The discussion will be led by Veronica Terriquez, professor and director of the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center.

This online book talk is free to attend, but an advance RSVP is required.

Oct. 14, 6:00 p.m.

Bruins Voices Town Hall: Centering the Latinx Student Experience

The UCLA Latino Alumni Association invites students to share their needs, perspectives and aspirations in a conversation about how to best support students and develop programs that reflect their voices and experiences. The town hall will discuss opportunities in professional development, community building and advocacy, while offering students the opportunity to build relationships with alumni.

This virtual event is free to attend, but an advance RSVP is required.