The month kicks off with Latinx Fest, a new outdoor celebration, Sept. 15
By Kristen Vincent ’26
Latinx Heritage Month, celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, pays tribute to Latinx, Hispanic, and Afro-Latinx Americans all around the world. The cultures, histories, and achievements of members of this community are honored, along with their ancestral backgrounds. Originally established as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968, Latinx Heritage Month has since flourished and is celebrated across the nation and through college campuses.
“It’s important to celebrate because you get that chance to show your culture on campus, educate others, and really just be proud to be who you are,” says Hector Morales ’24. “I think my culture is beautiful. To me, [Latinx Heritage Month] is a celebration of culture, really, of especially belonging, this sense of community.”
Denisse Villegas ’25, Karina Fuentes, associate director of intercultural development, and Hector Morales ’24
The Office of Intercultural Development (OID) and the Hispanic Society of Lafayette (HSL) will host various events, festivals, and programs for students, faculty, and staff, all celebrating Latinx culture and its impact on campus. For more information on these events and to see how you can get involved, check out the calendar of events and HSL’s Instagram page.
“This month, we exist to celebrate our Latinx leaders, our staff and faculty, and our scholars here at Lafayette, and to educate others on what it means to be Latinx,” shares Karina Fuentes, associate director of intercultural development.
Fuentes hopes Lafayette’s community comes together for the events held in honor of Latinx Heritage Month. Fuentes also hopes everyone, regardless of their cultural background, will honor the Latinx members of Lafayette.
To kick off the month, Latinx Fest will be held on the Quad Sept. 15. The event will feature a mechanical bull students can ride, a food truck providing Cuban delicacies, and a Mexican band playing authentic North Mexican beats. Additionally, Fuentes encourages clubs to hang out at the fair and celebrate their peers.
“If your club does not identify as Latinx but you advocate for Latinx individuals, or you want to let Latinx students know that they can be part of your club, make sure you sign up for a table, come through, and just be there and hang out with us,” Fuentes says.
Denisse Villegas ’25 is excited to see Lafayette celebrate her heritage as an Ecuadorian American.
“It’s important to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month because the acknowledgment that one receives as a Latinx person makes you feel accepted and represented on campus,” says Villegas.
Fuentes recommends OID, HSL, and Bohio, an intersectional organization that embodies and uplifts the Afro-Latinx and Caribbean diasporas at Lafayette College, as excellent resources for any students who wish to learn more about Latinx cultural identities in our Lafayette community.
