With the beat of Latin music filling the courtyard, students danced to the rhythm of Zumba, learned new soccer tricks and tried traditional foods. These were just a few of the events at Archer’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration Friday, Oct. 4. The Hermanas Unidas Executive Board and the Spanish Department hosted the celebration to highlight the history and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
The festivities extended beyond this day. The middle and upper school Hermanas administrators brought in dancers from Grupo Folklórico La Rosa who performed a Mexican folk dance during lunch Thursday, Sept. 12. Additionally, the board presented to upper and middle school about Hispanic culture by showcasing athletes from Spanish-speaking countries represented in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15. This year’s theme is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.” It was originally observed for one week but has since expanded into a month-long celebration.
Hermanas Unidas Executive Board Catalina López-Sánchez (’27) said the goal of the Hispanic Heritage Month festivities is to celebrate and share the culture Hispanic and Latiné individuals bring to the United States.
“I think [everyone] will just see how rich and beautiful Latina culture is and how a big part of this culture seeks to bring the community together,” López-Sánchez said. “We want everyone to have fun and to enjoy each other, even if they’re not necessarily part of the community.”
Sixth grader Bria McLain said the Hispanic Heritage Month festivities were the first cultural celebration she took part in at Archer. She said she believes it is important to learn about other cultures, especially ones she is not typically exposed to.
“I like how we have a lot of options to do. In my old school, we would just be having a conversation, but here it is like a party,” McLain said. “I learned that soccer originally started in the Hispanic culture — I’m a big fan of soccer, so I thought it was interesting.”
World Language Teacher Sara Gil Sáiz said her hometown in Spain celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Oct. 12. At this celebration, people from Spanish-speaking countries come together, dress in traditional clothing and participate in a parade. Gil Sáiz said she values seeing her culture celebrated in the U.S. because it gives her a sense of pride and connection to her heritage.
“For me, this [celebration] is a powerful representation of the language. It shows how connected people can be by speaking the same language, which can also be very different at the same time because it’s not the same Spanish in all the countries. But for me, it’s this connection overseas that is meaningful,” Gil Sáiz said. “I really hope that this will continue because there are a lot of students [with] Hispanic heritage, and also [with] Spanish as their first language at home. … This is a big part of their identity, and you need to understand who you are to move forward in the world.”
López-Sánchez said she hopes students appreciate the beauty and significance of Latina culture, especially with its rich diversity of people from across the globe.
“My favorite aspect of the Hispanic Heritage Festival would probably be working with all the people who have similar identities to me because I get to see that aspect of myself,” Sánchez said. “I get to represent [my culture] to the greater community, and I get to show the special part of my identity that I’m so proud of.”
Correction: Correction Statement (October 12, 2024, 7:12 p.m.): A previous version of this article excluded the participation of the Spanish Department and school administrators in planning the Hispanic Heritage Month festivities, as well as misstated the origin country of pupusas. The article has been revised to reflect that these members were involved in organizing the school activities that took place during Hispanic Heritage Month.
