Flags from Latin American countries traditionally are displayed in Peirce Hall during Latine Heritage Month. This year, a flag ceremony will be held Friday, Sept. 15.
Yadhira Ramirez ‘24 is proud of her Mexican heritage and the fact that she is part of a growing Latine community on campus.
During her time at Kenyon, the Houston-area native has noticed an uptick in the number of her peers with roots in Latin American countries.
And for her, this is the perfect time to celebrate.
Latine Heritage Month — also known as Latinx or Hispanic Heritage Month — begins Friday, Sept. 15 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 15. As part of the celebration, numerous events will be taking place on campus.
“It’s our month to shine,” said Ramirez, who is president of Adelante, Kenyon’s Latine student organization that is more than 30 years old.
The month of activities is intended to enhance the sense of community among Latine students and educate their peers.
“Other students coming to events means a lot to us. I want them to be curious,” Ramirez said. “Anyone can come to learn more about us.”
Latine students will have their heritage honored Friday during an annual flag ceremony in Peirce Hall. Flags from across Latin America will adorn the atrium for the noon event and remain displayed for the duration of the month.
Other events already in the works include a Latin American cultural tasting event on Saturday, Sept. 16, and a workshop on Saturday, Sep. 23, where students can speak Spanish if they want while sharing their feelings and experiences.
There are hopes, too, that a recent dance class teaching salsa, merengue and bachata will be repeated in October.
Heritage months provide an important opportunity to highlight the successes of various communities on campus, according to Sasha Pauline Fanny-Holston ’11, assistant director of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
“Whatever that looks like with different groups, I want them to have a place where they can be empowered to speak their truth and share their goals with us and with our community,” she said. “For us, it really is about celebrating the joy that comes with being a member of our respective communities.”
The origins of Latine Heritage Month go back decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Congress set aside a week in 1968 to celebrate the contributions of Americans tracing their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean. That was later expanded to a month.
The timing is significant for a number of Latin American countries that celebrate their anniversary of independence in mid-September: Sept. 15 for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; Sept. 16 for Mexico and Sept. 18 for Chile.
Ramirez said she has high hopes for the coming month.
“I’m super excited,” she said. “”Everything’s open to everyone because we want people to learn more about Latin America, where we’re from, and our culture.”