Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in Austin

The purpose of Hispanic Heritage Month is to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of the generations of people with roots tracing back to Spanish-speaking countries. Austin, famously known for being a city full of rich history, culture, and talent, is coming together this year to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in proper Texas fashion! Here are some of the fun events happening around the city, some recipes with a Hispanic flare to them, and movie recommendations that honor both Hispanic actors and directors.

Events around Austin

Festivales de Mexico: A Tribute to Jaime Guerrero

Address: 701 W. Riverside Dr.

Phone: (512) 474-5664

Roy Lozano’s Ballet Folklórico de Texas presents Festivales de Mexico: Tributo a Jaime Guerrero. Through the amazing choreography and production from Artistic Director Jesus ‘Chuy’ Chacon, audiences can experience the impact that Jaime Guerrero had on Mexican Folkloric dance. Performances will feature festive and colorful dances from the Mexican states of Baja California Sur, Campeche, Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Veracruz, and Yucatan; Additionally, the show will feature a special appearance from the Ballet Folklórico Orgullo Mexicano group. Click here to reserve your tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Hispanic Latino Heritage Month Celebration at The Central Library

Address: 710 W Cesar Chavez St., Austin, TX 78701

Phone: (512) 974-7400

The Austin Public Library will be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a variety of different events on Sunday, September 22 from 12 pm to 5 pm at the Central Library. With film screenings, arts and crafts workshops and talks, and live music performances, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Check out the event page on the Austin Public Library website for more information and a full-day schedule of events.

Noche de Cine / Movie Night Presented by the 2024 Centroamericanto Fest

Address: AFS Cinema (6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752)

Phone: (512) 478-4795

This FREE event is a part of the Centroamericanto 3-day fest, which aims to celebrate the values and traditions of Central American culture with dignity and professionalism. The movie night honors Guatemalan filmmaker, Julio Apopa – a man who left a legacy of several movies bringing light to his culture. The night kicks off by streaming the short film, Desconexion (a movie about being disconnected from reality), then Ramaj Tzijonik (Time to speak up), a film directed by Julio Apopa, and lastly, El Sentido de Las Cuerdas, a documentary about three Salvadoran musicians as they find an escape out of the struggles in their life through music. Click here to reserve your tickets for this event!

Recipes to Cook a Delicious Hispanic-Inspired Meal

Birria de Res

Duration: Between 2-4 hours, 8-10 if cooked in a slow cooker

Difficulty: Medium, Emphasis on seasoning and broth prep

Ingredients: chuck roast, white onion, garlic, dried bay leaves, cinnamon stick, dried guajillo stick, dried pasilla or ancho chiles, tomato, apple cider vinegar, dried oregano, ground cumin, cloves, ground ginger, salt, pepper, lime, and cilantro

Birria de Res has become a Mexican cuisine hit as taco shops have boosted its popularity with Quesabirria Tacos and other birria-accompanied dishes. The actual birria beef is a very tender meat that is very easy to tear apart and full of flavor that instantly melts in your mouth. The broth, which usually accompanies the birria meat, consists of multiple complex layers of spices and flavors. Although this dish does require a long time to cook and prepare for, the amazing flavor of the resulting dish more than makes it worth it. For a detailed recipe for the Birria de Res, click here.

Bandeja Paisa

Duration: 1-2 hours

Difficulty: Relatively Easy, the individual parts that make up the dish are pretty simple to cook.

Ingredients: beans, rice, avocado, choice of beef (thin strips or ground beef, typically), plantain, pork rinds, chorizo, tomato, onion, oil, salt, and pepper.

The Bandeja Paisa is one of the many dishes that represent Colombian cuisine. Although there are many variations to the dish, the basic Bandeja Paisa consists of beans, rice, fried plantain, avocado, chorizo, and some variation of meat. More complex dishes, like the one pictured above, might also include egg, chicharron (pork rinds), and arepas with hogao (cooked tomato and onion, to the point that it’s almost sauce-like). As mentioned already, many of the elements in the Bandeja Paisa are simple to prepare; However, here are some quick cooking tips for some of the more complex parts of the dish:

Fried Plantain: Cut your ripe plantains into thin slices; You can also cut them diagonally for a different shape, or flatten smaller pieces to give them more of a circular shape. Set a pot of oil to medium heat, and fry your plantain slices on each side for about 2–3 minutes, or until each side reaches a golden brown and crispy texture. Lastly, I recommend letting your fried plantains dry on paper towels so that any excess oil is removed, and then lightly salt them if you desire.

Hogao: While the arepas can be bought frozen, the hogao tastes best when handmade. Here’s a simple step-by-step way to make your own hogao:

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
• Cook 1 chopped onion until soft.
• Add 2 chopped tomatoes and cook until they’re soft and the resulting sauce thickens.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Arroz con Leche

Duration: 30 min – 1hr

Difficulty: Easy, ingredients may already be available, too!

Ingredients: Rice, water, milk, cinnamon stick and cinnamon powder, salt

Arroz con leche is a dessert enjoyed by several Hispanic households and, as so, varies from family to family; However, the basic recipe remains consistent throughout these different variations. Here’s a basic recipe for an easy-to-cook arroz con leche:

Ingredients: 1 cup rice, 4 cups milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/4 tsp salt, Ground cinnamon

Instructions:

• In a pot, cook 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of water until tender (about 15 minutes). Drain any excess water if needed.
• Add 4 cups of milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1/4 tsp salt to the cooked rice.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy (about 20-25 minutes).
• Remove the cinnamon stick and let it cool slightly.
• Garnish with ground cinnamon if desired. Serve warm or chilled.
• Other garnishes to consider: raisins and other dried fruits (add these shortly after adding the milk for the best effect), shredded coconut, honey, and a dab of dulce de leche (sweet caramel sauce).

Films with Hispanic Actors and Directors

Encanto

Duration: 1h 42m

Where to Stream: Disney+

Encanto tells the story of a very special and gifted family, the Madrigals, who live in a magical house in the mountainous region of Colombia. The Madrigal family has all been blessed with an “encanto,” or a special gift, like super strength and super hearing, except for Mirabel, voiced by the amazing Stephanie Beatriz. However, as the family’s house loses its magic, it is up to Mirabel to save their house and help her family. As a Colombian, myself, Encanto’s beautiful colors and vibrant image of the house, the town, and the family’s lifestyle gave such a heartwarming and truthful image of Colombian culture. With an amazing soundtrack written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, musical performances by Carlos Vives, and voicing by prominent Hispanic figures like John Leguizamo, Carolina Gaitan, Wilmer Valderrama, Maluma, and many others, this movie has all the elements of a soon-to-be Disney classic.

César Chávez: An American Hero

Film Duration: 1h 42m

Where to Stream: Youtube, Peacock, Paramount+, VIX, Prime Video

The film serves as a striking narrative of the historical figure, Cesar Chavez, known for his efforts toward civil rights and the Chicano movement. The film beautifully showcases how Chavez embraces non-violence and a strong sense of endurance and passion as he fights to bring dignity and respect to people, all while managing being a husband and a father. Michael Peña, the actor portraying Cesar Chavez, and America Ferrera, recently praised for her role in Barbie, do an amazing job at showcasing the long-lasting contributions that Chavez made to the Chicano movement and their fight for power, as well as highlighting the struggles that Cesar Chavez faced throughout that process, too.

In the Heights

Film Duration: 2h 23m

Where to Stream: Max, YouTube TV, Prime Video

In the Heights tells a touching story about a close-knit neighborhood in Washington Heights, right at the northern border of Manhattan, all trying to find their purpose in life and trying to find what they consider “home”. With music written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, this musical brings several audiences in through provocative stories of personal struggle, the pursuit of a bright future, and the classic search for love. Originally adapted from the 2005 Broadway musical, the film adaptation features various talented Hispanic actors and singers, like Anthony Ramos, Leslie Grace, and Melissa Barrera. All in all, the film makes for a perfect family movie to watch this Hispanic Heritage Month.