September 15th to October 15th is Hispanic Heritage Month, and today we’re celebrating Juan Felipe Herrera, the first Hispanic U.S. poet laureate! Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, Herrera invites everyone to participate in his poetry project: “La Casa de Colores” by submitting up to 200 characters on family.

If you want participate in Herrera’s project, you can submit your thoughts on family through this link: http://www.loc.gov/poetry/casadecolores/familia/

Says Herrera on his most recent project: “La Casa de Colores, ‘the House of Colors,’ is a house for all voices. In this house we will feed the hearth and heart of our communities with creativity and imagination. And we will stand together in times of struggle and joy.”

In addition to Herrera’s poetry project, the greater Philadelphia region also has a host of activities in celebration of Hispanic heritage, including these upcoming highlights:

North Philly Block Party:

As part of the Mural Arts Program’s Open Source project, artists Ernel Martinez and Keir Johnston collaborated on La Frontera, an installation piece designed to transform an empty warehouse space into a pop-up bodega that hosts community-centric programs.

When: Saturday, October 3, 2015

Where: 9th Street & Susquehanna Avenue

Puerto Rican Day Parade:

Floats, festive dances, local celebs, youth groups and more than 1,500 musicians spice up the action on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the Puerto Rican Day Parade. The annual parade is the city’s largest and oldest outdoor event celebrating Latino and Puerto Rican heritage.

When: Sunday, October 4, 2015

Where: Benjamin Franklin Parkway

More information on these events can be found at www.uwishunu.com.