In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Bucks County Community College invites the public to two free events designed to educate students and the community alike: Latino Business Roundtable on Oct. 12, and Afro Brazilian Culture and Civil Rights on Oct. 17.

On Oct. 12, the Latino Business Roundtable takes place at the Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks. 

Moderated by Rafael Collazo, executive director of UnidosUS Action Fund and founder of the BombaLive podcast, the panel discussion includes:

• Joel Berrocal, executive director of the National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce and broker with the Radcliffe Insurance Group
• Sara Gibson, J.D., loan officer with Advisors Mortgage Group
• Jose Tilapa, owner of Keystone Boxing & MMA Gym
• Lorena Escalera de Rivera, financial center manager with Penn Community Bank

“I am honored to be part of this distinguished panel during Hispanic Heritage Month,” noted Berrocal. “Together, we will openly discuss our experiences as Hispanic business owners and community leaders, highlighting both the successes and challenges we have encountered along the way.” 

The Latino Business Roundtable takes place in-person at 12:30 PM on Oct. 12, in the Student Commons area of the Epstein Campus, located in Bristol.

Next, travel to South America to learn about Afro-Brazilian Culture and Civil Rights on Oct. 17, in the Gallagher Room on the Newtown Campus.

Keynote speaker João Victor Nery Fiocchi Rodrigues is a sociology Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on the anti-colonial struggles of the Black diaspora across the Atlantic. 

“There are more Afro Brazilians in Brazil than African Americans in the United States,” Antoine said. “The language barrier – Portuguese versus English – has prevented a dialogue between the two groups, but both have had similar civil rights movements to overcome discrimination.”

To that end, the public is invited to learn more through the African Diaspora collection at the Bucks County Community College Library. The collection boasts more than 200 curated items, from books to DVDs, donated by Diedre H. Crumbley, a sociocultural anthropologist and retired professor of Africana studies at North Carolina State University.

Learn more at Bucks County Community College.

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