COLUMN: Hispanic Student Union is a diverse group
On behalf of the Hispanic Student Union (HSU) I would like to thank those (students and faculty) who helped make Hispanic Heritage Week a success. I also wish to clarify any misconceptions the article “Mexico and More” in Friday’s Utah Statesmen might have created about Hispanic Heritage Week and the Hispanic Student Union.
According to the Yahoo dictionary, the word Hispanic means one relating to Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin America. Hispanic Student Union does not stand for Mexico and more. We represent all nations of Latin America, Mexico included. I believe that this message was conveyed through out Hispanic Heritage week last week.
Last Monday we began our week with a display, which included traditional dresses from Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico; also we displayed artifacts from Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and various countries. The next day, we held a cook-out where we served enchiladas and horchata. In addition to the cook out we provided entertainment in the TSC patio. We had performances from the Salsa Club and members of HSU. (HSU members were the ones with the matching shirts.) Wednesday, we had the pleasure to have the author of “An Accidental Solider, Memoirs of a Mestizo in Vietnam,” Manny Garcia, who shared a few thoughts with us.
HSU wishes that people would acknowledge that Hispanics are a diverse people and we are a multiracial group. This is the reason we had a panel Thursday called “Nuestras Raices” (our roots) in which the panelists discussed the influence of other cultures in the Hispanic culture and many other aspects of our heritage. The panel consisted of J.P. Spicer-Escalante, Sergio Bernal, Antonio Arce, Patria Julnes and Elisaida Mendez. HSU thanks these five individuals for devoting their time to help our organization. In addition to our amazing panel, Thursday afternoon a traditional dance company named Raramuri from Chihuahua Mexico performed for us.
During the final day of Hispanic Heritage Week, we celebrated an important component of Latino culture, literature. One of the most interesting parts of the celebration was the read in, which consisted of USU faculty and students reading excerpts of Hispanic literature both in English and Spanish. We then ended our week with a Fiesta, a closing dance. The music in the dance consisted of salsa, meringue, cumbia, Reggaeton and hip hop. If you missed our closing dance, no worries, look out for Salsabriation next semester!
We hope that all of the students at USU were able to at least enjoy one of these events. We had a blast sharing parts of our culture with all of you. If anyone is interested in learning more about us, please feel free to e-mail our secretary Viridiana Garcia at vgarcia@cc.usu.edu. The next HSU meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Oct. 28, in the Multicultural Lounge in the third floor of the TSC.
Ana Hodgson is the president of the Hispanic Student Union. Comments can be sent to anjah@cc.usu.edu.