ECC kicks off Latino heritage celebration Friday

Elgin Community College will kick off a monthlong celebration of Latino heritage with a breakfast Friday featuring motivational speaker and two-time cancer survivor Jacqueline Camacho-Ruiz.

Latino Heritage Month is aimed at recognizing the contributions made by Latinos and creating a forum for respectful dialogue about important issues facing the community, officials said.

Camacho-Ruiz, a philanthropist, entrepreneur and author of "The Fig Factor," "The Little Book of Business Secrets That Work!" and "The Fig Factor Journal," has been a frequent guest on television and radio news shows. She co-authored "Overcoming Mediocrity, "200 Censejos Poderos para Alcanzar el Exito en los Negocios" and "The Crusaders."

She will give her keynote speech during the breakfast, 8 to 10 a.m. Friday, in the Building E University and Small Business Center Dining Room on the college's campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.

Latino Heritage Month activities include: tamales sale, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 23, Building B hallway; "Empowering Latinos" speech by entrepreneur and motivational speaker Lilianna Franco, noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 25, Building B Jobe Lounge; Latin Comedy Hour with Pablo Rodriguez and Christina Igaraividez, noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 29, Building B Jobe Lounge; Luz de Andes Musical Performance, 1 to 2 p.m. Oct. 2, Building B Jobe Lounge; churros sale, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 7, Building B hallway;

Festivities close with Mexican folk dance and music with Ballet Folklorico Huehuecoyotl, noon to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 15, Building B Jobe Lounge.

All events except Friday's breakfast are free and open to the public.

Tickets for Friday's breakfast are $15 for general admission and $12 for students. Reservations are required. To order tickets, visit elgin.edu/cereg and enter "Event Special" in the Course Code Number. Tickets will be available at the door.

For details, call the Organization of Latin American Students office at (847) 214-7708.