Four featured countries to celebrate

National Hispanic Heritage Month

Whether you can trace your roots to Spain, Mexico or the Spanish-speaking nations of Central and South America, CMOM is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by delving deep into the heart of four countries: Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia and Puerto Rico.

Each week’s activities will give a glimpse into the region’s people and what makes them unique. Along the way, we will discover the wonderful ways we are all the same.

Hispanic-themed food trucks will add a culinary flare to the event and will be on campus each Sunday.

September 15 – 22: MEXICO

Special performances for the week include:

• Story time play, “The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico” by Nina Jaffe September 15 at 12 p.m.
• Food truck featuring the street food specialties of Troca Fénix on September 15 from 12 – 3 p.m.
• Danza Azteca will perform an indigenous dance with authentic vestments and booming drums. September 15 at 2 p.m.
• A quiñceanera is a celebration of a girl’s 15th birthday – and we’re partying in a big way. We’re having a Last Doll and procession September 17 and September 21  at 10:30 a.m. followed by a piñata party at 2 p.m. (both days). We’re also making sashes on September 19 and 22 at 10 a.m. followed by a piñata party at 2 p.m. (both days).
• Food truck serving Honduran favorites: Chile Morita September 22 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Daily pop-up activities:

• Bilingual story times include “The Woman Who Outshone the Sun” by Alejandro Cruz Martinez and “Call Me Tree” by Maya Christina Gonzalez.
• Sensory play features maracas – from creating to using them in music time.
• Molcajetes – using pestle and mortar, we will be grinding a blend of unique spices.
• We’re making sashes to celebrate a girl’s 15th birthday (quiñceanera).
• We’re featuring Joaquin Clausell’s artistry in the Art and Innovation Lab. In addition, we will focus on hojalata (tin work) and making piñatas.

September 24 – 29: EL SALVADOR
Special performances for the week include:

• Salvadoran singer performing in traditional dress on September 29 at 12 p.m. and an interactive story time by Cazateatro telling the story of Roja – Little Red Riding Hood on September 29 at 1 p.m.
• We are having a special scavenger hunt to find the flags and birds of the countries we are celebrating. September 22—all day.
• Mexico in Memphis food truck serves a Mexican / BBQ fusion on September 29 and October 6 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Daily pop-up activities:

• Bilingual story times include “The Little Doctor” by Juan J Guerra and “Xochitl and the Flowers” by Jorge Argueta.
• Sensory play explodes with volcanoes.
• The sound of the marimba will surround music time.
• We’re making traditional embroidered bags with the help of staff and adults, using hot glue with colors and canvas bags.
• We’re making pischuchas – a Salvadoran kite made of paper or plastic.
• Prepare to play the chef as we make pupusa dough using rice and corn flour stuffed with yummy things.
• We’re featuring the artistry of Fernando Llort “Ave Magica” in the Art and Innovation Lab. In addition, we will focus on capiruchos, a traditional wooden toy and Salvadoran wood painting.

October 1 – 6: COLOMBIA

• We are having a special scavenger hunt to find the flags and flowers of the countries we are celebrating. It will be all day on October 6.
• Mexico in Memphis food truck serves a Mexican / BBQ fusion October 6 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Daily pop-up activities:

• Bilingual story times include “One Whole Me” by Dia Mixon and “Waiting for the Biblioburro” by Monica Brown.
• Sensory play is stuffed with fun as we make arepas – a flatbread made of maize dough.
• Music time will get you moving with a folkloric dance genre – Cumbia.
• We will use stamps and markers to celebrate Colombia’s largest artisan craft, leatherwork.
• Since the story time is about a moving library in Colombia, we will be playing Pin the Book games throughout the week.
• We’re featuring the artistry of Hernando Tejada a”El Gato del Rio” in the Art and Innovation Lab. In addition, we will have a focus on sombreros and burro saddle blankets.

October 8 – 13: PUERTO RICO

• Story time Play will feature “The Golden Flower” by Nina Jaffe, using immersive props and participants. It will be held on October 13 at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
• Food truck featuring the street food specialties of Troca Fénix on October 13 from 12 – 3 p.m.

Daily pop-up activities:

• Bilingual story times include “Broken Butterfly Wings” by Raquel M. Ortiz and “The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico” by Nina Jaffe.
• Sensory play won’t miss a beat as we make water bottle güiros and then showcase our rhythm during music time.
• Bobbin lace (mundillo) is part of the Puerto Rican culture, and we’re making a game of it by braiding ropes in teams.
• We’re featuring Oscar Ortiz’s artistry in the Art and Innovation Lab. In addition, we will focus on petroglyphs, images created in rock and the mundillo – handmade bobbin lace.