Dickinson College Celebrates LatinX Heritage Month
by JC Sosa-Soto ’21
The Popel Shaw Center for Race & Ethnicity held two workshops to celebrate LatinX culture and provide a safe space for students to discuss the current events impacting the LatinX community.
LatinX Heritage month ran from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and offered a time to recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture and achievements of the United States. On campus, Dickinson’s various clubs and organizations have taken pride in showcasing Hispanic culture through dance, food and informational events. However, virtual learning made it difficult for the campus community to come together in the same way.
The Popel Shaw Center recognized this difficulty and tackled the obstacle head on. Jae Chung ’23 (biochemistry & molecular biology), a student worker at the Popel Shaw Center, worked with Interim Assistant Director of the Popel Shaw Center Christian Perry, Director of the Women’s & Gender Resource Center Donna Bickford and others to facilitate, plan and promote the programming.
The workshops, Para La Cultura: Dismantling Stereotypes and Building up Our LatinX Community and Breaking the Silence, were intended to dismantle the stereotypes present in our communities and destigmatize the negative image of mental health through safe, facilitated discussions with Dickinson students, staff and faculty. A multicultural mixer encouraged students from all backgrounds to attend and celebrate the Hispanic/LatinX Heritage month. LatinX figure spotlights were posted on the Popel Shaw Center’s Instagram and Facebook accounts to showcase the accomplishments of famous and underappreciated figures of LatinX heritage. The center also held Instagram competitions for students to post their cultures' dances and favorite dishes to celebrate their history and culture.
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Published February 8, 2021