On Sept.16, NIU's Latino Resource Center held its annual Latino Heritage Month Opening Parade at the Carl Sandburg Auditorium in collaboration with the School of Music on the NIU campus.
In the United States, this celebration takes place from Sept.15 to Oct.15.
During these 30 days, Latino heritage is celebrated within the community through language, culture, food and traditions.
Valentín Padilla Uribe is a graduate assistant at NIU's Latino Resource Center. He is a second-year law student pursuing a postgraduate degree in NIU's College of Law. Valentín expressed his passion for his Latino heritage and how his own Mexican roots inspired him to choose a future career.
“I grew up along the U.S.- Mexico border. I'm a fronterista from Laredo, Texas, so my path as a migrant has impacted me in every way, shape and form.” He added, “I plan to use my degree to become an immigration lawyer.”
Padilla Uribe also has a message for the new generation of Latino Huskies.
“Never see your identity, your skin color or your accent as a disadvantage. It is powerful and it is what makes you unique.” He also added, “Use your identity as your superpower to knock down any barrier that stands before you.”
He wasn't the only one with Latino pride. Dr. Nancy Domínguez-Fret is the director of the Teacher Licensure Program in the department of World Languages at NIU. She expressed her motivation to join NIU as a member of the faculty.
“When I was interviewing for this job, they mentioned that we were just shy of becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution,” she said. “I grew up in the city. I come from UIC, which has been a Hispanic-Serving Institution for many years, so I think it's very important for me to work with my Latino community.”
Dr. Domínguez- Fret stressed that learning Spanish is so much more than a graduation requirement.
“[Spanish] will open doors for you in the workplace, but it can also help you reconnect with your family, your students, your friends or simply help you form new communities or connections.”
These statements align with the experience of Lucas Schaffer, a student in the accelerated B.A. /M.A. Program in World Languages and Cultures, with an emphasis in Spanish and Hispanic Studies.
He shared that his decision to study Spanish ignited a passion within him.
“Ever since I started taking [Spanish] classes, I fell in love with learning, with the language and with the cultures that are connected [to its indigenous roots],” he said. “Each country has its own dialect, and the dialect really comes from the culture.”
Returning to the Latino Heritage Opening Parade event, performances included several musical ensembles and student organizations from NIU. Among them were ensembles Mariachi NIU and Banda NIU.
There was even the debut of the new Latin American Project group by the Karani Cultural Center, a community organization in DeKalb.
Son Jarocho NIU performed a unique style of music from Veracruz with Afro-Mexican origins.
Tumbao NIU, a Latin dance group, closed the event with a bachata class.
Although Hispanic Heritage Month is over, the NIU campus and the Latino Resource Center continue to frequently host events and activities for the community. Their next event will be an exhibition of an ofrenda display to celebrate Día de los Muertos, a traditional Mexican holiday that honors loved ones who have passed. It will be located in the lobby of the Founders Memorial Library on the NIU campus from Oct. 24 to Nov. 6.
I'm Cynthia Grijalba-Durán.
Translated through MateCat(MA/MT) and edited by Cynthia Grijalba-Durán.
