The smell of tacos filled the campus air as students made their way to the Student Union to line up for a free lunch provided by Associated Students Inc.

 On the menu were asada and al pastor tacos, and esquite, a corn niblet dish served with queso fresco, mayonnaise, butter and hot sauce, from Antojitos del 661. Pura Sabrosa Aguas Frescas, serving Jamaica, Agua de Sandia, and lemonade, provided the beverages to wash it all down. These items were all free to the student community as part of the Latinx Heritage Month celebration.

Alejandro Martinez, ASI director of community outreach, brought this tasty lunch together. Martinez moderated between the long student lines and communicating with the vendors.  

“These menu items are meal symbols of our culture. They Are flavors that we grew up with since we were small, and they are foods that remind us of when we were growing up. These events become traditions. Latinx will become a tradition for years to come,” said Martinez. 

Gilbert Herrera, a CSUB faculty counselor and educator for child development, shared his idea of what these dishes meant to him. 

“Look all around us. We have people from all walks of life gathered at this event. These foods not only bring together our people, but people of other cultures. We all come from different backgrounds and events like this lunch bring everyone together as it is meant to be,” said Herrera.  

Also among the crowd was Jaqueline Sandoval, a senior psychology major who said al pastor tacos are her favorite.  

“Latinx is about all people of our culture that come together and feel welcome, such as this event today. Whether it be food, music or art, all members of the Latino and non-Latino community should be welcome,” said Sandoval.