Sept. 2, 2010

LANCASTER - Alina Fernandez, the daughter of former Cuban President Fidel Castro, and Hector Richard Ortiz, Ph.D., HACC trustee and alumnus, will make guest appearances at the HACC-Lancaster Campus in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Ortiz, author and motivational speaker, will give the Latino perspective on how to better utilize the power of positive thinking to achieve one’s dreams. Ortiz will speak from noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, in Main 222.

Fernandez, who sought refuge in the United States to escape her father’s infamous regime, will share her experiences as a child of the revolution then young dissident from noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, in East 203.

Both events are free and open to the public but attendees should register in advance. To register, go to www.hacc.edu, click on Calendar of Events and the date of the event that you wish to attend.

Fernandez was a toddler when her father overthrew the Batista government during the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Through her insight as one of the Cuban elite, she talks about her life in Cuba in the 1960s and ’70s, then her rebellion and participation in the political dissident movement in the 1980s on the island. By 1993, she was forced to flee Cuba which she accomplished by mastering the art of disguise.

Fernandez is a witness to a unique view of Cuba, not only of her father’s regime and how the country changed after the revolution, but of Cuba’s future and the potential for reform.

Ortiz is the author of “The Creative Energy of Positive Thinking: A Basic Approach to the Genuine Concept of Happiness.” He works with Dauphin County Human Services as community liaison and contract manager, and is a consultant for leadership development, cultural competence and translation and interpretation. Before coming to Harrisburg, he was an adviser in Ecuador’s House of Representatives and a civil engineer independent contractor.

In 2003 Ortiz was the charter president for Estamos Unidos de Pennsylvania, a local organization created to advance, enrich and better the lives of Harrisburg area residents of Hispanic backgrounds through education, leadership, and social skills. He is a member of Harrisburg Young Professionals, co-founder and treasurer of the Latino/Hispanic Professional Association of Central Pennsylvania, chair of the Dauphin County Diversity Advisory Panel, Cultural Competence Committee, member of the United Way Latino Services Task Force and member of the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce Diversity Council.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, a master’s degree in diplomacy, and a doctorate in international relations, all from Guayaquil State University of Ecuador.

Hispanic Heritage Month activities are sponsored by the campus Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA). Fernandez’s appearance is co-sponsored by High Companies, the campus Student Government Association, and the Council on Affairs of Latino Organizational Resources (CALOR), a campus student group.

The Spanish American Civic Association (SACA) a co-sponsor for an invitation-only dinner Sept. 22 honoring Latino students. Fernandez also will be the keynote speaker at this event.