This past week, the Hispanic Outreach and Leadership Achievement organization hosted a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the Williams Center to expand cultural awareness.

HOLA provided students with food, music, art, and other activities. Some students even enjoyed both Latin dancing and square dancing, while others ate chicharrones and drank horchatas.

The goal of this event was to bring Hispanic and Latino students together to feel heard on campus and express their culture.

President Jessica Fernandez spoke about how she loves to share her Cuban-American heritage with other students, and why she thinks Hispanic Heritage Month is so important.

“Because it’s easy for minority groups to be kind of silenced or their voices not to be heard,” President Jessica Fernandez said. “So I think it’s important especially to dedicate a month just so we can actually point out and raise that awareness that these voices do need to be heard, not just for this month, but throughout the year.”

The students who are a part of the HOLA organization include first, second and third generation hispanics, and others who were interested in learning more about hispanic culture.

“I’ve always been insecure about my Spanish, like it’s not good enough or like it’s not up to like what it should be,” said Junior Angela Ramos-Perez. “But like meeting other people in HOLA like they also have that kind of like insecurity, so it makes me feel seen.”

Students who attended the event mingled with different tables such as the Caribbean Students Association, and enjoyed sharing each other’s cultural background.

Hispanic students across campus are enlightened by HOLA’s fight for Hispanics and Latinos to be recognized within our country. The Hispanic Heritage Month celebration allowed for these students to find love in their culture and strive for more inclusivity.