What Hispanic Heritage Month has meant to AU students
By Kayla Portillo | Staff writer
Augusta University is represented by a number of Latinx students who celebrate the food, art, music and culture of Hispanic Americans during National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Several AU students shared the importance of this four-week celebration and what it means to them.
According to one AU student, Kiara Soto, Hispanic Heritage Month allows students to represent and celebrate their cultural roots while interacting with other students who come from all over the world. Soto has had the opportunity to meet and connect with people through events that AU has coordinated in the past for the month-long celebration.
“As a Puerto Rican, I take pride in my culture and I like to see other students doing the same for their countries,” she said. “Hispanic Heritage Month allows us to come together even though we are all from different countries to appreciate our deep-rooted cultures as Hispanic American students.”
Augusta University offers a variety of Hispanic clubs and events that gives students the chance to represent their culture and meet other Hispanic American students that they can connect with. These organizations and clubs provide an environment for Latinx students to relate and learn more about their culture and traditions.
A few organizations and clubs that are offered include the Hispanic Student Dental Association, Latino Medical Student Association, Latinx American Nursing Student Association, Hispanic Organization of Youth and Los Amigos Hispanos.
Los Amigos Hispanos is one club that holds a weekly tertulia where students practice Spanish with native speakers and learn more about Latin countries.
Member of Los Amigos Hispanos at AU Daisy Profaci, who is a native from La Chorrera, Panama, said what she enjoys most during Hispanic Heritage Month is eating her mother’s homemade Panamanian dishes and educating her peers on Latinx culture and history.
“Besides being able to eat all my favorite foods during Hispanic Heritage Month, I just really like teaching others about Panama – what we eat, our music, the way we dress and the beautiful Panama country itself,” she said.
AU Alumni Carlos Figuero said that Augusta University provides an environment for students of all ethnic backgrounds to come together and share their traditions and experiences as a Hispanic Americans.
“I’m very proud to know that I have a rich heritage of food, culture, music, dance and the importance of family,” said Figuero. “While at AU, I was able to establish long-term friendships with people I met through sports and clubs on campus. I now have friends from all over Latin America who are graduates of AU as well.”
Students at Augusta University urge their peers to learn about Hispanic heritage and the culture of their friends and family that surround them.
“Get to know the people around you and where they come from. Who knows? It might be a culture shock!” said Profaci.
This story is second in a three part series. The first part can be read here below.
Contact Kayla Portillo at kportillo@augusta.edu.
