(Photo by Tony Willan) Members from the Latinx Center for Academic Excellence spread awareness of Mes De La Cultura on Aug. 29 in front of the Depot.

Latinx Center Kick-Off preps for Mes De La Culture

Latinx Center for Academic Excellence promotes month of culture
Translate

LCAE ready to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month 

During a fogless sunny afternoon, music could be heard from the top of the hill at Founder’s Hall. Below, in the UC quad, large speakers were outputting music from Latin artists from all over South America, including Mexico, Brazil and Chile.

The Latinx Center for Academic Excellence had a table set up in front of the Depot on Aug. 31 for Mes De La Cultura, month of the culture, spreading awareness of Hispanic Heritage month in September.

Junior Mayra Sanchez, a critical race and gender studies major, has been working with the LCAE for a year. She said this event was created to spread word for more upcoming events. LCAE will kick of Hispanic Heritage month on Sept. 6 with live music and the Los Giles food truck.

The club said they are trying to host different events to become more visible in the community.

“We’re trying to bring up the question what does it mean to be a Hispanic-serving institute here on campus and if they are really serving that purpose,” Sanchez said.

Behind a table full of bags of Mexican candy with tajin and chips with the option of cheese, was a long white poster that asked the question “What does your identity mean to you? (and how do you identify?).”

A box of markers sat at the table and everyone was invited to write down what these questions meant to them. A couple dozen answers were scattered across the poster sheet, some read: “values and connection,” and “coming together and sharing our cultures with one another.” They all shared community support and heritage pride.

“They do a lot of cultural events and they really inspire the Hispanic community to stand up for themselves, to be active, to represent your culture and be proud of who you are.” Sophomore Alexandra Gonzalez said as to why she wanted to become a part of LCAE.

Gonzalez, a business major, started working at the center this year. She said the center inspires asking the question ‘what is my identity’ on a daily basis and to be who you want to be.

“It’s a good resource,” she said. “Its just there and helps people be the best self of themselves and be the identity they want to be.”

Justin Carnero, a business masters student, said these events help bridge the gap between community building and academic excellence and that’s why he got involved.

“A lot of students are coming from out of the area and so don’t have an essence of community,” Camero said. “A lot of students come here and then leave because they don’t have that sense of community.”

Junior Caia Santana, an Art Studio major, hosted and DJ’d the event with phone. Santana has been involved with LCAE since last year but started officially working for them since the beginning of the month. Santana’s

“I like helping people,” Santana said. “I like advocating for the ethnic community or just POC in general.”

LCAE has multiple events lined up for Hispanic Heritage Month.

  • Sept. 5 – Community and Belonging Fair.
  • Sept. 6 – Mes De La Cultura Kick-Off at The Great Hall.
  • Sept. 12 – Afro-Latinx: Time to Talk seminar at NHE 106.
  • Sept. 14 – Queer To Stay! Life as a QPOC in NHE 106.
  • Sept. 17-21 – National Hispanic-Serving Institution week, in the main quad and art quad.
  • Sept. 19 – Danza! Indigenous dance practice in Gist Hall 102.
  • Sept. 24 – Poetry Slam at The Great Hall.

 

Share This Post

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on email
Share on reddit

More Stories

John Craigie merges folk with humor at the Van Duzer Theatre

by Brad Butterfield John Craigie blended comedic anecdotes with folk music, creating a one-of-a-kind show on March 1 at the Van Duzer Theatre. Describing himself as ‘the love child of John Prine and Mitch Hedberg with a vagabond troubadour edge,’

Women’s volleyball club is being formed at Cal Poly Humboldt

by Jake Knoeller and Dezmond Remington For the first time, a women’s club volleyball team is being formed at Cal Poly Humboldt. The idea was brought up when a large number of women were consistently attending the men’s practices, including

Authors’ Celebration brings writers together

by Dezmond Remington Writers are famously loners, depicted in media as squirreled away in some dark cabin deep in the woods or confined to a cockroach-infested apartment. At the bare minimum, they’re often regarded as imprisoned in their own minds,

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply