Language has the power to spark knowledge. It has the power to encourage pride. And most, of all, it has the power to revive our roots. Latine Heritage Month (LHM) exists to celebrate Latine students on campus and different identities on the basis of gender, race and ethnicity.
To be Latine means remaining true to our identities and experiences, even through hardship. Latine culture includes every country in Latin America and encourages our community to work collectively to allow our roots to survive and thrive. Food, music, dance, games and sports are some of the best ways for us to come together as a community. Because of these reasons and many more, Latine culture deserves to be preserved and celebrated this month and always.
Starting Friday, Sept. 15, Multicultural Affairs and campus partners have worked together to provide a variety of events and programs for the Syracuse University community to attend as an invitation to celebrate, embrace and learn more about Latine history and culture! Explore Latine History Month’s full calendar of events, and check out these highlights.
Latine Heritage Month Opening Ceremony
Join Multicultural Affairs and campus partners in the Schine Atrium for the official kickoff of LHM on Friday, Sept. 15, from 3-5 p.m. Meet other students, get to know Latine registered student organizations (RSOs) and catch the premiere of this year’s “Celebrating Latine Heritage Month” video, produced by Newhouse student Diana Garcia Varo ’24 (co-author of this article!). The Opening Ceremony is a great way for the campus community to learn about some of the impactful Latine RSOs, and recognize and remember the endless efforts that Latine students have made in the past to open doors for future generations and keep their cultures alive.
Torneo de Fútbol
Grab some friends and join Multicultural Affairs and the Barnes Center at The Arch for the fifth annual Torneo de Fútbol. Battle it out on the field near the Women’s Building in an intense soccer tournament to celebrate Latine Heritage Month! Torneo de Fútbol is on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 1-4 p.m. Please register your team via IMLeagues by 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13. The first 100 people to show up to the event get a free T-shirt!
Café con Leche: Exploring AfroLatinidad
The Café con Leche Series is an essential part of Latine Heritage Month, as it creates the space to have discussions that are relevant to the Latine community. Cohosted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Café con Leche’s Exploring AfroLatinidad event on Sunday, Sept. 24, provides an opportunity for the campus community to learn about and remember the African diaspora and the Black community in Latin America. Blackness and Latinidad are not mutually exclusive, and Latin America does not just have to be associated with only “Spanish.” By having these conversations in a shared space, we take a bigger step at achieving and spreading awareness. Visit 119 Euclid from 1-3 p.m. to discuss what it means to be Afro-Latine!
Fiesta Latina
Look out for impressive performances, great music and good food during Fiesta Latina on Friday, Oct. 6, in Goldstein Auditorium. The performances are
evidence of the talent that students have, passed on through the generations, to preserve Latin dance and represent their heritage. It’s a great event where the campus community can come together and celebrate Latine culture!
Latine Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ History Month Potash Collaborative Keynote
Join Multicultural Affairs and the LGBTQ Resource Center for this joint event featuring drag performer Salina EsTitties! Her original drag shows, “Eloteria” and “Shark Bait Sundays,” have received tremendous acclaim, the former being voted the Best Drag Show of 2022 in Los Angeles Blade. She is also committed to social justice activism, annually partnering with the AIDS Life Cycle x Gay and Lesbian Center of Los Angeles, the Alliance of Housing and Healing through an annual Best in Drag Show, and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. After 11 years of sobriety and extensive experiences in the industry, she is committed to sparking joy! The celebration will end in an amazing performance by Estitties revolving around her queer and Latine identities. This acclaimed free performance will be showcased Thursday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Schine Underground.
Written By Maximiliano Jimenez G’25, School of Education, and Diana Garcia Varo ’24, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications