Students celebrated Hispanic culture during the Latino Heritage Month again this September.
For 14 years, the annual celebration has focused on bringing out the best of the Latino culture as represented by the students and faculty members on Temple’s campus.
Every year the celebration kicks off with an opening ceremony at the Bell Tower. Numerous Latino student organizations, sororities and fraternities come out to let other students know about the exciting program they have put together this year.
This year’s theme is “Oye: Nuestro Sonido Latino” (Voice of Our Culture), because the Heritage Month Committee felt that it was important that people understand the differences that exist within the Latino community in music, language and culture.
“We wanted people to understand the different shades of our voices because we are all unique,” said Maritza Santiago, Reservation Geraldine Rosado
Staff Writer
Students celebrated Hispanic culture during the Latino Heritage Month again this September.
For 14 years, the annual celebration has focused on bringing out the best of the Latino culture as represented by the students and faculty members on Temple’s campus.
Every year the celebration kicks off with an opening ceremony at the Bell Tower. Numerous Latino student organizations, sororities and fraternities come out to let other students know about the exciting program they have put together this year.
This year’s theme is “Oye: Nuestro Sonido Latino” (Voice of Our Culture), because the Heritage Month Committee felt that it was important that people understand the differences that exist within the Latino community in music, language and culture.
“We wanted people to understand the different shades of our voices because we are all unique,” said Maritza Santiago, Reservation Coordinator and Chairperson of the Committee.
The Latino Heritage Celebration started in 1990, but back then it lasted only a week. Since then, more cultural events have been added, not only teach students about the food and music of the Latino community but also to instill an appreciation of their history.
This year for the first time there is an exhibit in the ground floor of Paley Library that gives a glimpse of Puerto Ricans living in Philadelphia from 1947 through the 1990s.
According to Brenda Galloway, associate archivist at the Temple University Urban Archive, the exhibit illustrates where the Puerto Ricans lived, how they came here and where they worked.
The collection of pictures will be on exhibit through Oct. 20; the cultural events of the festival will continue until Oct. 27th.
Santiago also noted that in the coming years more of the history of Latinos will also be featured during the events.
In addition, she said that this celebration is important because it helps other students notice the growing number Hispanic students within the Temple population.
“It is a way for other students to see that there are a lot of Hispanic students at Temple and it also makes them feel like they are at home,” Santiago explained.
Students who want to participate in next year’s planning of events can send an e-mail to tulhm@yahoo.com with their contact information.
Geraldine Rosado can be reached at templenews@gmail.com
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