On Thursday, Sept. 19, the student advisory board of the Cultural Awareness Resource Center saw crowds of students at Kennesaw State’s Legacy Gazebo while commencing celebrations on campus acknowledging Latinx Heritage Month.
The month-long observation starts mid-September, and acknowledges several Latin American independence days and a host of cultural holidays that the community holds dear.
The term “Latinx” is now becoming more commonly used to be inclusive of those with Latin American heritage who do not identify within the gender binary, according to NBC.
Hispanic Heritage, as known by its traditional name, began as a week-long observation in 1968 under former President Lyndon Johnson’s administration.
This would expand to a month-long observation 20 years later when U.S. representative Esteban Torres encouraged Congress to acknowledge the heritage of the Latino community and its contributions to American society.
Sept. 15 is significant as it marks the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala — all Latin American nations.
A sense of community defined the Thursday celebrations. Crowds of students from many backgrounds enjoyed foods specific to Latin America including nachos, empanadas and delicious balls of chocolate known as brigadeiros.
“It’s good to see diverse backgrounds of people from different nationalities come to eat and hang out,” senior Felipe de Jesus Vela said.
A couple of the groups in attendance Vela spoke of included the Association of Latino Professionals for America and the Organization for Latin American Students. Both are devoted to promoting academic achievement, leadership skills and professional development among Latinx students.
“It was very important for us to be here because we just want to get students aware that we’re on campus,” ALPFA director of membership Sarah Matos said. “Being a minority organization, we want to let Hispanics and anybody interested in our culture to be aware that we’re here.”
She went on to share that the organizations at the fiesta are Latinx-based but not Latinx-exclusive, highlighting the importance of getting involved in campus communities to enhance life-long skills necessary for success.
Events like these possess the ability to provide a space where intersecting identities are able to communicate their differences.
Six-year member of the International Student Association and senior philosophy and psychology major Edmund Tella explained the importance of having this space.
“[It is] a space for people to breath — to be themselves and not always on edge is the foundation of healing,” Tella said. “Things like this are necessary. If we don’t do this we’re not able to move on to the big things.”
The CARC and all of KSU’s Latinx-based organizations are busy at work preparing events to commemorate the month. For more information, visit OwlLife for a complete listing of activities.
