On April 4, the Latinx Center collaborated with NAK (Nu Alpha Kappa), a Latino fraternity, to host “Uniendo Cultura y Educación” at the Forum Plaza. The center’s intention was to unite the campus community in a night full of cultural pride, celebration, and education for community members on Mexican culture.
The line to get into the event started at Chavez Plaza and ended near the Arts Building’s entrance. Students were encouraged to bring their friends and family. Upon entrance, attendees were greeted by center staff and given a food voucher that allowed them to get free tacos from the food truck, La Cocina del Abuelo. Students got to choose between birria or pollo tacos with toppings of their choice. Traditional aguas frescas, with flavors ranging from piña to pepino con limón, were also served alongside the tacos.
After receiving their food, students were invited to listen to Dr. Citlali Sosa-Riddell, a history professor at CSUSM, tell her story and share the importance of celebrating her culture. Campus organizations, such as Yo Soy STEM, the DREAMer Resource Center, and the Latino Association of Faculty and Staff, were also present and shared their resources with other students. After a brief intermission, Banda Tierra Sureña took the stage and started singing traditional Mexican banda songs, such as, “La Chona.”
Banda music is an integral part of Mexican culture that originated in Sinaloa, Mexico in the 1880s and began expanding to other Mexico states in the 1890s. Currently, bandas in Mazatlán, Mexico are pushing back against noise complaints intended to silence and prohibit the long-standing tradition. Mikel Luque Jimenez, the Latinx Center’s graduate assistant, emphasized the importance of standing in solidarity with the bandas of Mazatlán, Mexico, and the need to embrace Mexican cultural traditions during a break between songs.
Students, dressed in their sombreros vaqueros and their botas vaqueras, hit the dance floor and danced with their friends, partners, and family members as the banda played. A dance circle even formed, and everyone was encouraged to show off their moves as people hyped them up. The dancing only stopped when it was time for Ballet Folklórico Sangre Mestiza, a traditional Mexican dance group, to take the stage. After Sangre Mestiza’s captivating performance, the banda continued playing and students danced all night long until the event was over.
The night’s atmosphere felt more like a family party with people taking the centerpieces than a school event because of the lively music, the dancing, and the great food. “Uniendo Cultura y Educación” was an amazing event that brought the CSUSM community together in celebration of Mexican culture, and I hope the Latinx Center continues to host this event in the future.