By Myla Shashiki-Moya, Contributing Writer
Sept 15 marks the start of the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The observation of this month in America serves the purpose of “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.
With over 750 international students, many of whom are native to these countries, as well as several domestic students with Hispanic roots and heritage, this culture is appreciated as well as celebrated in the Saint Leo University community too.
A good place to start exploring Hispanic traditions and customs at Saint Leo would be the Center for Global Engagement, which often hosts different events that showcase cultures from all over the world. When it comes to student organizations, the Spanish club also provides an excellent opportunity to get to know more about this culture.
“They can see our roots and how even though we are all Hispanics we all have different traditions, dishes, celebrations, and ways to work,” said Federico Hernandez, a freshman majoring in Business Administration and the current president of the Spanish club.
Furthermore, foodies of Saint Leo might also be able to learn first-hand about traditional dishes during International Education Week’s ‘Feast for the World’, which has consistently included recipes from a wide variety of Hispanic countries. In addition, Hispanic influence can be found occasionally at the dining hall, ranging from snacks like fried yuca to entire dishes like arroz con pollo.
Additionally, Cannon Memorial Library has a wide selection of Hispanic authors whose works students can read to have a better understanding of this culture.
To continue, the specific theme for this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month is: “Unidos: Inclusivity for a stronger nation.” This theme is also reflected among Saint Leo students.
“We can start by mentioning the core values of the university. I know that one of those is community, and that core value is represented in every event that the university organizes, where inclusivity and respect towards our differences are emphasized,” said Daniela Mejia, a sophomore majoring in accounting.
At Saint Leo there is a strong sense of unity within Hispanic students themselves, which can be a useful support system when adapting to a new environment or facing adversities.
“It was all very new at first because I arrived right after the Covid-19 pandemic, but I believe that it helped me to have this space where we all have a great connection with each other,” shares Mejia. “We obviously still hang out with other students from different communities, but it’s always comforting to have a group where you know that you share the same struggles, like for example the language, or the cultural differences, and this has really helped me develop myself as a person, as well as my social abilities.”
The visibility that is given to these groups, however, is an aspect where there is still room for improvement.
“I think the Hispanic culture represented in the university is good, but it would be ideal that we make it more noticeable for the rest of the community or Hispanics that are looking for somewhere to feel more comfortable,” comments Federico Hernandez. “Anyone can join us and see what us Hispanics are trying to do and how united we are.”
It is because of this reason that celebrations like Hispanic Heritage Month are so important and relevant. Hopefully through this increased visibility, we can keep sharing and learning more about the diversity that we have here at Saint Leo.
