Many departments and student organizations at the University of North Alabama have been celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month through hosting tables and events around campus.
Hispanic Heritage Month, which occurs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 every year, is observed “by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America,” according to hispanicheritagemonth.gov.
Groups across campus have been taking part in these celebrations by creating events for students to attend, providing opportunities for education, connection and fun.
One such event was the Hispanic Heritage Celebration hosted by Club Ñ, a Spanish club within the Department of Foreign Languages. At the event, which took place on Sept. 25, attendees were offered free authentic Mexican food from Hugo’s Mexican Restaurant, authentic candy from various Hispanic cultures, free shirts to the first 50 guests, and Latin dance lessons to get attendees involved. The event gathered a large crowd of excited attendees who were eager to learn more about Hispanic cultures.
“I think this was our best Hispanic Heritage celebration since I’ve been here, and that I owe to the Spanish Club,” said Dr. Andrea Nate, associate professor of Spanish and the advisor for Club Ñ. “They were so enthusiastic, and they were great, not only at planning and set-up but also at engaging and getting other students to dance and participate. We were cleaning up when the event was over, and they were still there dancing. It was simple, but it was a huge success because of the students.”
The students who were involved in creating the celebration were also happy with the outcome, as they achieved their goals for the event.
“The event was a complete success,” said Club Ñ Vice President Yadeliz Rivera. “Everyone had fun, and everyone was laughing and making friends. That was the whole point of the event, to connect with others.”
Another goal for the event was to demonstrate inclusivity of other cultures, which reflects well on the organizations involved and the university as a whole.
“It’s important for UNA to celebrate every heritage and culture that goes here,” said Mary Davis, Club Ñ’s secretary. “It shows everyone that UNA is very inclusive and that UNA cares about their students and learning about other cultures.”
Along with this event, Club Ñ also plans to spread their outreach to the community through community service opportunities, as well as reading to local children at the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library for Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, in late October.
Another event within the UNA Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations was the Multicultural Coffee Hour, hosted by International Student Services on Sept. 26. The event was held in the Guillot University Center atrium, and those passing by were offered traditional coffee and snacks from Mexico. Attendees were then given information about Hispanic Heritage Month, Mexico and International Student Services, inviting those in attendance to learn about the importance of celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
“I feel that it’s good for people to be culturally involved in everything that might be foreign to them because learning is the key to being able to interact and get to know people better,” said Felix Landaeta, the president of Club Ñ. “What better way to support others and things that are important to them? It helps to be able to speak and have something in common.”
Club Ñ will be collaborating with the Mexican Culture Organization to celebrate Dia de los Muertos in early November. The celebration is a huge hit around campus, and like the Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, its key goal is to connect and educate people on the cultures it celebrates.
“That’s what we’re all about: engaging with the Spanish-speaking world, the cultures that are represented by the language that unites us all and all the different cultural diversity, and having fun with it,” Nate said.
