National Hispanic Heritage Month—A Time to Celebrate and Appreciate Hispanic Culture

Written by: Eva Savill '22

Hispanic students and staff reflect on and appreciate what it means to be Hispanic and how their heritage has impacted their lives.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for celebration for all things related to Hispanic culture. Started in 1968, National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15 and is in celebration of American citizens with ancestors from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

“Clearly it’s not an event that we should only celebrate for a month,” Adrian Arguello ’24 (Quito, Ecuador) says. “But, National Hispanic Heritage Month is rather a constant reminder to embrace our culture, our history, our ancestors and our roots. And to never stop feeling the pride of being Hispanic.” 

Arguello plans to celebrate by learning more about Hispanic Americans in the history of the United States and how they impacted the culture. He also looks forward to, “listening to my favorite Hispanic artists and enjoying a homemade Ecuadorian dish.”

Spanish Speaking Community at YCP

In recent years, adjunct faculty member Ileana Feistritzer, MA has noticed more Hispanic students on campus and believes the positive influence from their presence, “can share so much of their own culture and traditions and help other students understand how diverse the United States really is.”

Feistritzer and Arguello both believe there are advantages to speaking Spanish, and really appreciate the cultural diversity and communication it promotes.

Feistritzer believes, “speaking a language goes beyond speaking, it’s knowing its culture, traditions, etc. and being able to share it with others. To create awareness of our diverse communities.” Arguello believes a similar sentiment, “to me the most beneficial part of speaking Spanish is being able to connect and establish a bond with millions of people that have so many things to talk about their culture. 

Both mention the new Sueño Latino club, that aims to create a community on campus where members can feel at home to share and appreciate all Hispanic/Latinx cultures. Arguello has really felt the impact of that group and encourages involvement with the community. “Everybody makes you feel welcome whether you are Hispanic, Latinx, or simply if you are interested in learning more about our history, customs, etc. It is truly an empowering group of people and I highly suggest you take a look at their awesome activities!”

As Arguello believes, this next month encourages people to celebrate their histories and cultures while having pride in their heritage every day.