‘Tengo que salir adelante’: MSU kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month

¡Hola amigos! Hispanic Heritage Month is officially underway and MSU is joining the nationwide celebration with a lineup of music, dance and community events running until Oct. 15. 

Each year, a committee of students, staff, faculty and community partners get together to plan and schedule different cultural events and educational programs. The celebrations started on Sept. 15 and will continue into October, said Carmen Roman, the vice president of MSU’s Latino/Hispanic association, Fuerza Latinx. 

"We aim to connect MSU students, faculty, staff and the Bozeman community — especially Hispanic students and high school students considering MSU,” Roman said. “[Events will feature] dancing, music, performances and food, creating a fun and relaxed atmosphere."

With more than 60 million Latinos in the U.S. — about 18.9 percent of the population — Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the contributions of Hispanic Americans and cultural traditions from Spanish-speaking nations around the world.  Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with several countries’ independence days,  according to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino.

Roman, who is studying anthropology and aspires to be a curator, said she is excited to teach the MSU community about Caribbean culture and heritage. Roman said there is a lack of permanent museum exhibits on Caribbean culture. 

“They’ll have rotating or traveling exhibits, but nothing permanent. I want museum exhibits on the native Caribbean people, especially how they influenced and helped economics,” she said. 

Kinesiology student Natalia Solorzano Ortiz said that Hispanic Heritage Month highlights recognition and inclusion. “We’re also humans, even though we’re from somewhere else,” she said.

Katelyn Placido-Solis, a member of Fuerza Latinx and a biotechnology major, said that Hispanic Heritage Month is a reminder of progress and also a source of pride for her and her community. 

"The community has come a long way from being oppressed," she said. “I am tired of stereotypes and I want that to be clear. I’ve heard a couple [of] people saying, ‘They’re gonna take [our] jobs.’ It’s not our fault that we want to have jobs. We’re trying to be better for ourselves and for our family, too.” 

“I know me, personally, I’m here for my family and I’m doing everything for myself,” she said. “It’s not like I am competing with anyone else.”

Fuerza Latinx is planning a celebration for Día de los Muertos — Day of the Dead — a traditional holiday that honors loved ones through family gatherings, food and remembrance. 

Roman said there will be an ofrenda in the Strand Union Building where students can place photos of family members. The display will be open to anyone who wishes to honor those who have passed away.

A book display dedicated to Hispanic Heritage Month will be up throughout the month at the Renne Library. “We created a selection of books to tell about history and culture,” Roman said. “We have books for all ages. They're in English and Spanish, so anyone can read them."

There will also be a film screening on Oct. 7, a Women’s Center Sack Lunch Seminar on Oct. 8  and volunteer opportunities at various times throughout the month, she said. 

“[It’s] just a big way to connect students with culture, but also the community with students,” she said. “I think in MSU, as the population continues to grow, hopefully the club continues to grow and more people celebrate it.”

As part of the celebration, students can stop by the Student Commons on Mondays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. throughout the month to listen to Latin music.

According to the MSU website, they will be playing a mix of Bad Bunny, Selena Quintanilla, José José and many more. 

“A lot of people connect or relate to music,” Solorzano Ortiz said. “[It’s] something people can agree on and enjoy with others.”

The kick-off event, which occurred on Sept. 19, featured a series of food trucks with various Latin foods. For Placido-Solis, making food was a prominent part of her upbringing. 

“I grew up making tamales every Christmas,” Placido-Solis said. “It’s a step-by-step process and very time consuming, but it reminds me that everything good comes with a price.”

Roman said watching her mom cook was a major part of her childhood. “She taught me how to cook,” Roman said. “I like that memory because I [now] teach my friends how to cook.”

One such recipe is mofongo, a traditional Puerto Rican dish. “It’s made with the green bananas —  the plátanos,” she said.  

For students like Placido-Solis, Hispanic Heritage Month is also about carrying forward the values passed down through her family. “Tengo que salir adelante,” she said. “I have to keep going forward.”

For more information on Hispanic Heritage Month and a full schedule of events, visit https://www.montana.edu/access-success/resources/training/hispanic_heritage_month/index.html.