The third annual Hispanic Heritage Banquet at Missouri Western State University will feature poet Elizabeth Acevedo and musical entertainment by students. The banquet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, in the Enright Community Rooms, Spratt Hall, rooms 214-216, is free and open to the public, but reservations are required by Sept. 25. Email cme@missouriwestern.edu, call 816-271-4150 or stop by the Center for Multicultural Education in Blum Student Union, room 210 to make your reservation.
Elizabeth Alcavedo was born and raised in New York City and her poetry is infused with her Dominican parents’ bolero and her beloved city’s tough grit. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. Acevedo has been a featured performer on BET and Mun2 and has delivered a TED Talk on the importance of the human connection. She has graced stages nationally and internationally, including renowned venues such as The Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, the Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts and South Africa’s State Theatre.
Acevedo is a National Slam Champion, Beltway Grand Slam Champion, and 2014 Women of the World Poetry Slam representative for Washington, D.C, where she lives and works.
The banquet is part of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.