(José Olivarez, photo courtesy of COCC)
A community bike ride on October 17, in partnership with Vámonos Outside — with bikes and helmets provided, along with “Ask a Mechanico” assistance — is the leadoff event for Central Oregon Community College’s 2026 Latinx Heritage Month, staged at Shevlin Park in Bend, 10am-2pm Registration for the ride is required.
Latinx Heritage Month also includes in-person book discussions of Solito, an American Book Award-winning memoir of a child’s 3,000-mile migration from El Salvador, October 20 at COCC Prineville and October 22 at COCC Madras, and readings by award-winning poet and acclaimed performer José Olivarez, October 27 at the Bend campus. These events are free and open to the public. Visit cocc.edu/departments/multicultural/latino/latinx-events for complete details and to register for the ride.
Latinx Heritage Month is celebrated nationwide from September 15 to October 15, though COCC’s events are held entirely in October due to the college’s late-September fall term start.
The community ride with Vámonos Outside begins at 11am on Saturday, October 17, at Shevlin Park; participants can arrive at 10am for “Ask a Mechanico” help and to learn some bike safety tips. Vámonos Outside will provide bikes and helmets, including for children, plus snacks and community-building activities. Registration required.
Javier Zamora’s Solito, a New York Times bestseller that recounts his 3,000-mile journey from El Salvador to the U.S. border — at the age of nine, without his parents — is the focus of two book discussions: at the COCC Prineville campus on Tuesday, October 20, and at the Madras campus on Thursday, October 22, both from 5:30-7pm. Registration required, with some books available for loan; contact cwalker2@cocc.edu to register.
José Olivarez, whose poetry explores themes of immigration and identity, will be reading works, sharing perspective and hosting a Q&A from 5:30-7pm on Tuesday, October 27, at Wille Hall on the Bend campus. No registration required.
This past academic year, nearly 15 percent of COCC’s credit-seeking students identified as Latinx. “As this demographic continues to grow, we are excited to celebrate Latinx culture and invite all of our students and community to join us,” said Christy Walker, dean of equity and well-being.
cocc.edu/departments/multicultural/latino/latinx-events
