As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, so does the celebration of Hispanic culture. “Chocolate, Conchas Y Chismes” was a celebration event held at the outdoor pavilion on Sept. 25th. From sweet traditional Mexican baked goods to dancing alongside other students, the event brought together nearly 90 students, faculty, staff and community members.
The event, held by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI), was co-sponsored by Latinos Unidos to allow students to experience Hispanic culture for free. It featured free drinks and food, dance lessons taught by Instructor Zeke Rubalcaba, and music provided by DJ Alex Villanueva. Rubalcaba runs his own Latin-inspired dance studio in Chicago and trains competitive dancers.
The event also featured two Latina business owners. One was Cristina Rivera, owner of Cristina Handmade which sells crotched stuffies.
Rivera said it’s an opportunity to showcase their talent as a community.
“I always have a good time [here],” Rivera said. “It’s amazing, the support we get.”
Esmeralda Guerrero Lopez, a Coordinator for Student Diversity Initiatives, explained the event’s demand.
“Currently we have Chocolate, Conchas, and Chismes which is an event to meet the Latine faculty and staff from Harper College,” Lopez elaborated. “It helps connect our students and have that visibility; that ability to see the richness of culture here in celebration of Latine Heritage Month.”
According to Lopez, 32 percent of Harper students identify as Latino, Latina, Hispanic, Latinx, or Latine.
For many students, this function was a good respite. Latine Freshman Cris Watson said they used the function to meet new people, to unwind while at school, and were happy with the outing.
“I’d say I was the most excited to see the Harper College Community come together for a wholesome gathering,” Watson said. “Academics are important, but so is cultivating a community.”
Several Latinos Unidos ambassadors attended the event to help promote the organization’s mission. Alessandro Ramos is one of the representatives of Latinos Unidos. Ramos is also a mentor of the Guiding Learners Intentionally to Develop Efficacy (GLIDE) program. He shared that more events celebrating Hispanic culture will be happening soon.
The Alumni Reunion for Latinos Unidos is on October 3rd from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center; Sabor Latino will be on October 11th at 5:00 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center; and Drag Loteria will be held on the Quad on October 8th.
For future events, follow Harper Student Engagement, Harperdei & stay posted on Harbinger’s Instagram, harbstudentnews.
