Elon University wrapped up Hispanic Heritage Month with its annual Gala Latina, bringing students together to celebrate Hispanic and Latino culture through performances, speeches and community.
The event was a final celebration of a month of programming organized through the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education (CREDE). This evening also recognized students through awards celebrating their achievements in different areas.
For Sylvia Munoz, assistant dean of students and CREDE director, celebrating Hispanic Heritage month is about making sure students feel represented and welcomed at Elon.
Munoz said she started Gala Latina nearly nine years ago, and it has become one of her favorite programs the center presents.
“It allows those who identify within the Latino and Hispanic community to share with our friends, share with the rest of the community, about who they are, where they come from, and what is important for them”, Munoz said.
She said recognizing different cultures and backgrounds is especially important at Elon because it is a predominately white institution.
Munoz said the most important thing is “feeling proud of who we are, feeling proud of the identities we carry, and feeling proud of the backgrounds we hold.”
Planning for Hispanic Heritage month starts in the spring when student coordinators meet to decide on a theme and plan the month’s events. Those students then split into different committees to organize individual programs.
This year’s events included a kickoff celebration that brought around 250 members of the Elon community together, an immigration panel, a conversation about mental health in the Latino community in collaboration with the Counseling center and more.
Munoz said the events give students the opportunity to learn about different cultures while allowing Hispanic and Latino students to share their own experiences.
Gala Latina closed out the month with student performances, including a dance and a speech.
Munoz said moving the event to the fall gave students a chance to end Hispanic Heritage Month with a celebration that brings students together and recognizes their identities.
For Paula Torres, who was born and raised in Colombia, celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is also a way to recognize an important part of her identity.
Torres said her Colombian background has taught her about who she is, her experiences and her culture. She also believes events like Gala Latina are important because they help students feel welcomed and included.
She said she hopes future celebrations continue to grow and create spaces where students from different backgrounds feel comfortable and represented.
Anna Meredith, whose mother is Cuban, grew up in a primarily Spanish-speaking household. She said Latin culture has always been a big part of her life.
Meredith has participated in several Hispanic Heritage Month events, including helping with Spanish classes at El Centro and making flowers for the celebrations.
“El Centro is a big part of my life. It’s a place where I can kind of find refuge and friends,” Meredith said.
She said she attended Gala Latina to celebrate her friends and Latin heritage.
Meredith also said events like Gala Latina give people who may not be as familiar with Hispanic culture a chance to experience it.
As Gala Latina continues to grow, Munoz hopes it will remain a place where students feel proud of their identities, welcomed by others and a sense of belonging within the Elon community.
