Latinx Heritage Month calls for celebrating culture through music, food, and football. Cal State Bakersfield hosted events to celebrate and educate different areas within the Hispanic culture.
The month started strong with the Latinx Heritage Month Kick Off , hosted by campus programming on Sept. 18. Students, faculty, and staff gathered at the student union lawn and enjoyed music and food from El Pollo Riki and Agua’s Fresca.
As they continued Latinx Heritage Month, students were given opportunities to participate in trying different foods and experiencing different parts of Latinx culture.
CSUB hosted different opportunities for students to partake in the traditional game of chance known as Loteria.
One of the Loteria events was hosted in the edible garden on Sept. 29. The edible garden provided free Aguas frescas, tostilocos, and presented information about what the edible garden offers to the students and staff.
Joel Kirksey, the edible garden coordinator and farm supervisor, explained that the edible garden hosts a farmers’ market weekly on Wednesdays by the food pantry. Students can grab crops such as eggplants, peppers, eggs, or carrots freshly picked from the garden.
In order to build community and increase the capacity of food that is available to students on campus, Clubs can rent a “bed” and grow food for personal use or to donate.
Throughout Latinx Heritage Month, campus programming, ASI, and the Student Union have also hosted educational events. They hosted a brown bag discussion with Professor David Barrera. In this CA Native American Day panel discussion, students could learn about Native American identities and an information session on the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities internship program.
The Ethnic Studies department also partook in Latinx Heritage Month by presenting speaker Rosa Celemente, a community activist and former Vice President nominee. Students, faculty, and staff filled the room and discussed current issues and created a sense of community.
Not all of the events were solely educational; CSUB campus programming, ASI, and the student union also hosted interactive and community-based events for CSUB to gather and celebrate together.
Expressing yourself and relating to others is fundamental in any community. Campus programming, in partnership with ASI, hosted “Noche Bajo Las Estrellas,” a campus programming expression night event on Sept. 21, where students could present different types of media, such as poetry and songs.
Latinx Heritage Month also brought in tunes from Los Angeles as they invited Mariachi Arcoiris, the first-ever LGBTQ+ mariachi band, on Oct. 4.
“The creation was a personal need of when I was younger,” said Carlos Samaniego, founder, and director of Mariachi Arcoiris.
Samanigeo explained that when he was younger and performing in mariachi bands, there was a lot of homophobia, bullying, and machismo. He explained that there was a lack of intersection between Hispanic culture and the LGBTQ+ community, resulting in him creating a safe space for anybody to perform and take part in a mariachi band.
As the celebration continued throughout the month with different events and educational opportunities, CSUB fostered community and embraced other conversations surrounding the Latinx community.
The tradition of Latinx Heritage Month is a way to celebrate, educate, and support the CSUB population. From games, food, and speakers to campus programming, ASI and the Student Union created a safe space to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month with people near and far.
