Members of the university’s Latinx/Hispanic Union said they want to showcase Latin cultures through fun events and learning opportunities as Bellarmine honors National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
Gisela Martinez, vice president of the Bellarmine Latinx Hispanic Union (BLHU), said, “Our main goal is to share the culture and welcome others to actually live it as well.”
She said BLHU has already held events like Latin dance nights, free salsa lessons, karaoke and more. BLHU and the Career Development Center formed a partnership for educational events, including like Coffee with the Pros, a networking events that gives students an opportunity to connect with Latinx/Hispanic alumni and employers.
Martinez said she wants all students, regardless of their ethnic background, to attend these events and enjoy themselves. “It’s always good to have an open mind to interact with cultures that are different from yours and honestly all the events are a lot of fun and easy to take part in,” she said.
BLHU and the Office of Identity and Inclusion (OII) are working together to have Hispanic movie nights, group discussions and events to honor Día de Los Muertos (a popular Latin holiday that honors past ancestors) for the remainder of the month-long celebration. Students can check Engage for events through the end of October.
Acknowledging Hispanic Heritage Month means a lot for student representation, specifically those who identify as Latinx/Hispanic. Said Diana Molina, a first-generation, Cuban American student: “My mentor put it best: ‘We’re a minority amongst the minority.’”
According to Bellarmine’s Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness, only 5.2% of undergraduate students identify as Latinx/Hispanic.
Jonathan Penaloza, a Venezuelan student, said honoring this month makes Bellarmine unique. “There’s some colleges that don’t do this kind of thing...and I think Bellarmine is saying to all of us ‘you’re welcome here’ and I appreciate that,” he said.
While this month may be a month of representation for some, it is also a month of learning for others. Mexican American student Esperanza Moreno said she didn’t realize National Hispanic Heritage Month existed until about two years ago. Penaloza said it was strange when he found out about it as student from Venezuela. “I didn’t grow up here, and I barely knew about the culture here,” he said.
Molina said, “I feel like I’m still learning about it myself...I don’t know as much about it as I should.”
Martinez said that recognizing this month at Bellarmine is great way for both Hispanic/Latinx students and other students to learn about Hispanic heritage.
Sophomore Divya Joseph went to some of the events. “It just opened my mind to things I don’t usually think about.... like about a different culture,” Joseph said. “Learning about different cultures is very important in becoming more knowledgeable about the world.”
One of the events sophomore Julia Cordts enjoyed the most was Noche de Rumba, a night dedicated to Latin dancing. It made her realize that “community is a big part of their culture.”
Cordts also learned more at Trivia Night with Bellarmine’s Diversity Peer Educators. “I didn’t really know the difference from what was described as Hispanic or Latinx. I learned that Hispanic is Spanish-speaking and Latinx is from Latin America,” Cordts said.
Martinez said: “We want it to be an accurate representation of what the culture is so that others can learn...This is a good way to honor and celebrate accomplishments that the Latinx or Hispanic community has done primarily in this country.”
National Hispanic Heritage Month became a national holiday in 1968, and it coincides with several Latin American independence days such as those in Mexico, Chile and Costa Rica.
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