Throughout September and October, Multicultural Student Affairs annually celebrates Latinx Heritage Month with a specialized theme. This year’s focus is on the aspect of community spirit, called “Espíritu de la Comunidad.”

The planning for each year’s theme begins in the summer before the event. The member organizations send a student representative to be part of a planning committee to discuss what is happening locally and globally regarding Latinx Heritage Month. This year it was decided unity and fellowship were the central themes to emphasize. 

Gavin Bell, the assistant director of Multicultural Student Affairs, said he talks to the student organizations involved to make sure new events are not only highlighting the theme, but take some financial pressure off of the groups and are overall facilitated to the students’ needs. They make it a priority to make sure the communities can thrive. Certain organizations meet monthly for a check-in and a chance to voice any concerns. 

“The cool part about the check-ins is that some of them are Mex, some are Native American, some are Asian, others revolve around Black culture, so it allows them to share best practices and develop competency across all these different cultures at the same time,” Bell said. 

According to Bell, Multicultural Student Affairs offers many opportunities for new and returning students to join in activities that allow a sense of community to flourish. The first event of each year is the kickoff event, where many Latinx student clubs and organizations gather and set up a table to represent their communities.

Bell described the connection between the theme and each activity organized. 

“Community and fellowship set up the kickoff event of the month, the Chat ‘n Chew for food fellowship and the last one we thought about culturally was dancing,” Bell said. 

Multicultural Student Affairs has some staple events that happen every year, like the kickoff event, but they see to it each year’s theme hones in on the highlight of the month. This year, it’s community. 

“Our last event is going to be the Noche de Bailando,” Bell said. “We partner with a couple of different Latin dance teams on campus to offer dancing tutorials, food/drinks and some rodeo line dancing. We’re trying to make it representative of different areas of Latin America like salsa, rodeo, all the things.” 

Multicultural Student Affairs spreads the year’s theme through the student organizations and the campus partners — such as each college within the University — so it’s marketed across all areas of campus. The goal is to grow the community by reaching out to students who may not be familiar with all the different cultures so they can find commonalities to their own communities.

“What we really want for Latinx Heritage Month and the upcoming Native American Heritage Month is for a place of community to be built, but also a place of learning for students to gain genuine knowledge around these communities,” Bell said.

Bell discussed the various ways people coming out of Latin America would come together. Whether it be food, community, fellowship, conversation or mental health, they want to help people handle the culture shock they may feel. They realize the challenge some students may face and hope they can be a good resource for those who are looking for one.

Isabelle Simmons, a first-year in exploratory studies, heard about the kickoff event from Instagram. She said similar events like it are a good way for the Latino community to reach out to students, especially because it’s right in Talley Student Union. 

Simmons found the kickoff event to be a great way to connect and explore the clubs who made an appearance.

Multicultural Student Affairs works hard for students to have options for community and relationships within their own culture while being able to learn and bond over other cultures as well. Looking forward, the organization has already planned for future events of community building and cultural bonding, truly exemplifying the spirit of community.