By Giselle Lee | Staff Writer
Nationally observed from Sep. 15 to Oct. 15, Baylor’s adoption of Hispanic Heritage Month aims to highlight multicultural student organizations celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of Hispanic and LatinX communities.
According to the Multicultural Affairs Office website, Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries throughout the two months and hopes to foster more meaningful dialogue through various initiatives.
Romina Vidal Martinez, the Assistant Director for Multicultural Engagement in Baylor’s Department of Multicultural Affairs, said in a statement that a major part of her role is supporting student organizations to create opportunities for students to “learn, celebrate and connect”.
“It matters because students should see their cultures and stories reflected in the Baylor community,” Vidal Martinez said. “It also gives students from different backgrounds a chance to learn fromone another. Hispanic and Latinx communities are incredibly diverse, and I hope the month encourages people to learn more than what they may already know or assume.”
Puebla, Mexico, sophomore David Bedolla said that apart from celebrating Mexico’s Independence Day on Sept. 16, he only heard about Fiesta, an annual event hosted by the Hispanic Student Association and Baylor Activities Council, before attending it last year. He said he hoped to join again this year.
“I think it’s important to have that sense of community with other people of your same culture, so you can continue to share your culture with other people,” Bedolla said. “To keep having events where people like not only Latinos can experience that sort of culture is the mainwaythat they can promote it.”
Some students said more work is needed to actively share Hispanic culture with the wider Baylor community. Houston sophomore Andres Cardenas said the lack of cultural food — one of the central pillars of understanding Hispanic culture — made him feel “underrepresented.”
“I feel like one of the greatest Hispanic customs is just eating, and eating is very delicious,” Cardenas said. “As well as dancing … and I also like singing, which is also something we do. There should definitely be more representation of that some way somehow.”
Vidal Martinez said she appreciated seeing students share their ideas and support them as they are brought to life. She hopesstudents leave events with “a deeper appreciation” for the people and cultures around them.
“I love watching someone experience a tradition that feels familiar to them while someone else is learning about it for the first time,” Vidal Martinez said. “Those moments of connection are why I enjoy this work. I also hope Hispanic and Latinx students feel celebrated and know that their experiences belong here at Baylor. If a program sparks a conversation or encourages someone to keep learning after the month ends, that means a lot.”
Cardenas said bridging the gap between Hispanic Heritage Month events and people interested in engaging with different cultures is necessary, and he said he has done so by bringing his friends to Hispanic cultural events across campus.
“You don’t know about something until you’re introduced to it, so you don’t know that you might like it unless yougo toit,” Cardenas said. “I think people should be more inclined to visit other cultures, even if they don’t belong to it. One of my friends should totally come to Hispanic events, but he says that since he’s not Hispanic, he might not be welcomed, which is not the case.”
In addition to supporting various events on and off campus, students are encouraged to visit the Hispanic Heritage Month displays in the Bill Daniel Student Center to engage further with Hispanic and LatinX culture.
