Zachary Milko
Contributing Writer
The roots of America lie in many different cultures, with many different people and in many different places. One of the strongest roots of the American foundational tree is in the Latinx and Hispanic communities, and The College of Wooster has many students that are proud of their Hispanic heritage.
This year, the College is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (from mid-Steptember to mid-October), and Hispanic and Latin American students get to showcase their culture to the entire Wooster community. Annays Yacamán ’22, the co-president of Latinas Unidas (LU), says that Hispanic Heritage Month has been off to a great start. Hispanic Heritage Month commenced with a cookout and opening ceremony. During the opening ceremony on Sept. 16, the value of Hispanic culture on campus was discussed and flags were hung in the Lowry Pit to honor Spanish-speaking countries.
Yacamán and others have put together a wide variety of events for Hispanic Heritage Month through collaboration with other groups. Such events include the kickoff collaboration between LU and the Organization of Latin American Students (O.L.A.S.), and a Bachata Salsa Social hosted by LU and Alpha Gamma Phi. Additional events included the first annual Latinx Townhall and the first annual Hispanic Heritage Month Opening Ceremony, also hosted by LU and O.LA.S.
President of O.L.A.S. Alberto Peralta ’20 said, “The Opening Ceremony turned out to be amazing … I was honored to have been one of the inaugural members of this moment.”
Across campus, many students are excited about all of the Hispanic Heritage Month events, but particularly the Sep. 27 event called “A Taste of Latin America.” This event is where students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in Hispanic culture through food. Yacamán said, “We always try to make our events inclusive of people from all over Latin America, but for this event we are especially making dishes from South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean, hoping to give everyone a taste of the diverse Latin American palette.” As the month continues, students should keep their eye out for other events such as the Latinx Mic Night and the film screening of “Pelo Malo.”
Hispanic Heritage Month is a time when Wooster students can reflect on how culture really shapes the Wooster experience. LU and O.L.A.S. member Penny Pintor ’23 shared why Hispanic Heritage Month is important to her. ”It is super important to me that Wooster celebrates this month because it represents who I am and where I come from. I am extremely proud of my Mexican roots and being part of a campus that has a small population of Hispanic/Latin American students, being able to share your experiences and your traditions with others is a good way to educate them on your culture,” Pintor said.
Denise Yanez ’23, also a member of LU and O.L.A.S., added, “It shows that [the community] not only cares about me, but they also care about my background. Along with that, it shows me that I matter and that I should be proud of who I am.”
Yacamán reflected on what the campus community should take away from Hispanic Heritage Month. She stated, “I hope that one of the things that comes from Hispanic Heritage Month from the rest of the College community is building relationships with allies, because their support is so important to us. It means a lot to our executive boards when people from all walks of life come out to our events to learn about our culture and celebrate with us. Without people’s support, we won’t be able to put on events like these in the future.”
It does seem that the student body appreciates the efforts of all those who work to make Hispanic Heritage Month as full and educational as possible. “I am extremely proud by the initiative shown by our students. We have had a major turnout, and we can see the undergoing change in the Latin American community. We have had an unprecedented number of people show up. Staff, faculty, and students have been profoundly engaged in our events. [O.L.A.S. and LU] are delighted by the contributions and enthusiasm shown by our members,” said Peralta.
Make sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled for more information regarding Hispanic Heritage Month events.