By: Austin Gonzales
The latter half of September and the first half of October mark the time in the United States to celebrate the achievements and culture of Latin Americans within our society. Hispanic students from all over campus have already begun to show their pride and love for their large cultural legacy that spans over 20 countries. From proudly displaying in the campus halls early style Latin clothing to the variety of speaker events on school grounds to share why our cultural identities mean so much to us.
Growing up in Bay City to a Russian-French mother and Mexican descent father, I lived a rather different life than many other kids around me in school. When others heard my last name, they made assumptions, even at a young age. I was subjected to stereotypes of what kind of meals I ate at home, what kind of music I listened to, and what kind of work my father did to support us. If I wanted to reach out to others within the Latin community, I had no one else to turn to but my family. This is never a bad thing, but it made me feel isolated while growing up and affected my self-esteem. I longed for a general community of other people who shared similar experiences like me.
When discussing National Hispanic Heritage Month with the leader of Delta College’s Society of Hispanic Leaders (SOHL), Monica Hernandez, she mentioned that many students of her organization are from all walks of life. Ensuring that while not every Latin American student has grown up the same way, they all deserve a chance to connect with that cultural community.
Monica introduced me to Michigan’s Latino Leaders for the Enhancement of Advocacy and Development (LLEAD). A non-profit funded by proud Latin Americans to address concerns with the Saginaw, Lansing, and Holland Hispanic communities to state-wide discussions. The strong focus is to ensure that the Hispanic American voice are heard and recognized on issues such as immigration, human rights, education, employment, and LGBTQ+ rights while also educating non-Hispanic communities about the bias and struggles our people face. Giving Latino/Latina youths a place to belong.
The Latin American community is full of people who have worked hard not just to subvert the expectations of stereotypes but also to strongly welcome others with open arms to commemorate their traditional way of life in the face of hate and bigotry. “You must love yourself. Love how you were raised and the culture that was left behind for you to celebrate,” Monica Hernandez tells me in response to how we should always treat ourselves despite the rise of Hispanic hate crimes since 2015.
Monica Hernandez also promised many events still to come for National Hispanic Heritage Month. Be on the lookout for the Circle of Wisdom: Intergenerational Dialogue on Oct. 26 at the Downtown Saginaw Center and a presentation of Tejano music in the A wing on the main campus on Oct. 28.