“Sazón Latino,” or Latino flavor, is the theme of the Sept. 15-Oct. 15 Latino Heritage Month celebration at Eastern Mennonite University. Three events will be hosted by the Latino Student Alliance (LSA), led by President Mario Valladares and Vice President Mario Hernandez, both of Honduras.
“This month helps people to learn more about the places where we come from and shares the celebration of several cultures with the EMU community,” says Hernandez.
He says the “celebration of cultures” isn’t just happening on the EMU campus, but around the world. “Coincidentally, most of our countries have their independence days during this month.”
Valladares adds: “Latinos are not made up of one race, but rather embrace all of them! The Latino flavor is something you won’t find in any other culture in the world.”
Banquet, chapel and International Festival
The highlight of the month is the Oct. 7 Formal Banquet in the Campus Center. The fourth annual event is one of the most popular and well-attended during the academic year with food provided by local Hispanic restaurants and a dance afterward. Admission is free with an EMU student ID and $5 for faculty and staff.
“We want people to taste new cultures and add new flavors to their palate,” Hernandez said.
The Oct. 12 chapel will feature speaker Aaron Kauffman, president of Virginia Mennonite Missions. From 2005-08, he served in Colombia with Mennonite Mission Network and VMMissions. Coffee and bread will be served afterwards in the Campus Center.
LSA also sponsored a shuttle from EMU to the International Festival at Hillandale Park, Sept. 24, from 12-6 p.m. This free annual event, drawing crowds of more than 8,000 people, showcases the diversity of residents who call the Harrisonburg area home, from Iraqis to Eritreans to the Congolese community and many more cultures. EMU alumnus Boris Ozuna, a native of Colombia, is executive director of the festival.
Club meets on Fridays
LSA, advised by M. Esther Showalter, meets weekly for planning and socializing. Both Hernandez, a sophomore, and Valladares, a senior, have been involved since coming to campus.
Hernandez says he enjoys speaking Spanish in informal settings. LSA also provides the opportunity to “learn more about the small differences between our cultures and our accents/lexicon with the other students from different Spanish-speaking countries,” he said. “Most people don’t realize how different cultures and language can be.”
Valladares says the club is “a little bit of home at EMU, a group that understands where you are coming from and your culture, and an opportunity to share that with everyone else, as well.”
Most club activities happen in the fall. LSA traditionally welcomes first-year students at orientation with a salsa dance, and then continues with various heritage month activities. Last spring, LSA celebrated Easter Week with a chapel service and the creation of a traditional alfombra that garnered local media attention.