{"id":219328,"date":"2022-10-13T14:23:47","date_gmt":"2022-10-13T18:23:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=219328"},"modified":"2022-10-13T14:37:25","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T18:37:25","slug":"a-fun-fiesta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2022\/10\/13\/a-fun-fiesta\/","title":{"rendered":"A Fun Fiesta"},"content":{"rendered":"

Students, faculty and staff descended on the Student Center Quad to learn, dance and mingle as the Office for Hispanic Initiatives wrapped Hispanic\/Latinx Heritage Month events and festivities with a Block Party. The afternoon event featured a DJ, live music, food and alegria (joy). <\/p>\n

Wednesday\u2019s event was \u201cvery embracing of our culture\u201d says Natasha Soto, a Bronx native and freshman International Business major. She took a break from dancing to Bad Bunny\u2019s \u201cTit\u00ed Me Pregunt\u00f3,\u201d captured on her phone by friend and fellow freshman Amya Rodriguez, to add: \u201cIt\u2019s a taste of home. It\u2019s also an opportunity to meet people of the same background.\u201d <\/p>\n

Director of Student Belonging Duane Williams talked with people tabling and said he loves to learn and experience other cultures. \u201cVisibility is key,\u201d says Williams, who is of Jamaican descent. \u201cJust as I want to be visible in any space that I am in, I want to see and recognize what makes others unique.\u201d <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the party continued with domino games and dancing to a live Afro-Caribbean Ensemble from the Cali School of Music.<\/p>\n

The Block Party culminated a month-long campus celebration that started with a flag-raising ceremony and parade of flags<\/a> and included research discussions on The Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on the Latinx Immigrant Community<\/a> and The Benefits and Perils of Black Racial Identity Development among Black Latinxs, a documentary film screening<\/a> and more. Hispanic Heritage Month, which coincides with Independence Day celebrations across many Latin American countries, started in 1968 as a weeklong commemoration under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was expanded to a month 20 years later by President Ronald Reagan.<\/p>\n

\"students
Students dance to merengue, salsa and more at the Hispanic Heritage Month event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"students
Two Montclair students join in the dance celebration.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Students
Students played dominoes and mingled.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Students
Dancing is always fun.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Isabel
Isabel Adorno, with the Cali School\u2019s Afro-Caribbean Ensemble, performs at the Block Party.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Attendees
People take Cali School Afro-Caribbean Ensemble member Adrianna Viera\u2019s (front) lead through some dance steps.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
Wind players with the Cali School Afro-Caribbean Ensemble perform, under the direction of Oscar Perez. Musicians include Nico Martin on alto saxophone, Rodrigo Romero on tenor sax, Denton Moreland and Adrienne Bazile on trumpet, and Paul Ferrera on trombone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Students
Students tabling while enjoying the festivities.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Montclair
Montclair employees also enjoyed the music.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Flags
Latin American flags representing the diversity of Montclair\u2019s Latinx students wave proudly in the crisp autumn air.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Photography by John LaRosa<\/strong>.<\/p>\n