Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. To provide Winona State University students with the opportunity to embrace their own culture and background and get to know more about the experiences and perspectives of other students on campus, The Office of Equity and Inclusive Excellence collaborated with Hispanic and Latinx culture organizations around campus to put on a Fiesta Latina on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
La Fiesta Latina took place from 2 to 4 p.m., and while initially scheduled at the Gazebo, it was moved to the KEAP Center in Kryzsko Commons due to the weather conditions. Despite the move, the event had a big turn out, which was exciting for the coordinator, Leslie Alvarez to see. Alvarez is a second-year Winona State student and the Equity and Inclusive Excellence chair on Student Senate who wanted to act on increasing the diversity around campus. For her, it was easy to say that diversity was important and encouraged, but a whole other thing to act on it.
“We need an event that people of diversity can feel included in and can feel like we are showing with pride rather than hidden,” Alvarez said. “Especially under circumstances with everything going on right now, I feel like this is a good pick me up.”
Her goal was to provide an event for people of diversity and in minority groups that would encourage getting out of the dorm room, and the event did just that.
La Fiesta Latina offered various activities, food and music that all reflected Hispanic cultures and engaged visitors in celebrating heritage and diversity within the school.
“It shows out for the Hispanic Culture itself,” said one volunteer, Micheala Sendolo, “Showing their music, the food that they eat and appreciation to their culture.”
The event served traditional Hispanic and Latin cultured snacks such as elote and hot cheetos with cheese.
“At first, I’ll definitely say people did just come through the food, but after a while, people played musical chairs, people went for the piñata,” Sendolo said. Many students who came enjoyed the games and candy-filled piñata, as well as coloring sheets and the general socialization and sense of community that La Fiesta Latina provided.
“A lot of people came, and people were gravitating people,” commented another volunteer, Nyla Kelley, “[There were] people talking to each other, and there’s connections being made here.”
Tables were set up for information to create more awareness around diversity at Winona State. Students and staff could meet representatives from Student Organization for Latinos (SOL), the Latinx minor and Spanish club.
“For me, it’s about showing where I come from, what my roots are, and being able to share to everybody that is unaware of it what Hispanic heritage is and just like the culture around it,” Alvarez reflected. It is important for everyone to feel like they belong on campus, and events such as La Fiesta Latina are a place for people of all ethnicities to grow in their global perspective, build a community and celebrate all backgrounds.
