On Monday, September 15, the Center for Rising Excellence and Cultural Empowerment (CERCE): The Leadership Center, hosted one of Kean’s largest Hispanic Heritage Month events on the Miron Student Center (MSC) Plaza.
With free food like empanadas, fried fish, rice, and spam, along with the popular Hispanic music, Hispanic and non-Hispanic students alike unified to celebrate Hispanic culture and its global impact.
Dariany Almonte, a junior psychology major from Queens, NY, expressed her love for her Dominican culture.
“We got great food, great music, beautiful women, beautiful men, all of it,” she said. “[Events like this] are just a great experience to have… to remember your roots.”
There was also plenty of tabling at the event for clubs and organizations like the Latin American Student Organization (LASO), the Ecuadorian Student Association (ASECU), the Mexican American Student Association (MASA), and many more.
Jennifer Santillan, a junior criminal justice major and member of ASECU, currently living in Newark, NJ, shared her favorite part of attending Hispanic Heritage Month events and what she loves most about her culture.
“I love being with my friends and people from my country, and being happy here, so I’m grateful for the University,” she said. “I love the food! You need to eat Ecuadorian food, it’s amazing. My mom is a chef, so it’s always good!”
Although there were fun activities like basketball and cornhole, the true higlights of the event were the speeches and poetry from Kean faculty, along with the musical performances by the Puerto Rican Folkloric dance and percussion group, Segunda Quimbamba. The group led students into a traditional cultural celebration, guiding them through chants, dance, and even encouraging them to play the bongos themselves.
Nicholas Foster, a freshman from Teaneck, NJ, who is currently undecided, spoke briefly about the event and his Cuban heritage.
“[Being here] feels very accepting, people are connecting through music, and it’s just like we’re bonding,” he said. “We’re rebuilding and becoming a community again after so long, and I love it.”
Hispanic culture is vast, but it’s the things like music, food, and sometimes even language that bring people together.
Brianna Pelaez, a freshman psychology major from Old Bridge, NJ, represented her Mexican roots and shared her thoughts on the celebration and Hispanic culture.
“It’s [the event] exciting because this brings us all together. There’s a sense of pride in being Hispanic,” she said. “Every country is different, but we all share some of the same traditions and diversity.”
Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the uniqueness, liberation, and traditions shared among Hispanic cultures. As the month goes on, celebrations across campus continue as well.
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
