Quotes collected by Elysian Alder and Jordan Chila | Editors-in-Chief
Photos by Natalia Oliver
On Thursday, September 19 2024, the ESL Club hosted a Hispanic Heritage Celebration at the
Leominster Campus, welcoming the entire MWCC community to honor Hispanic culture. Attendees
enjoyed authentic cuisine, danced to lively Latino music, and gained invaluable insights from keynote speaker Dr. Irene Hernandez.
“I’m from Uruguay; It’s hard to choose a few [of my favorite things from my country], but the people, the educational system and the food are my top three. It was a meaningful experience for me personally, as a proud Spanish immigrant, to be part of this celebration. This event was a reminder of the rich tapestry of cultures and traditions that make up our community.”
– Natalia Oliver, student
“I come from the Dominican Republic. It means a lot to me to celebrate my culture and heritage. At the event, for that moment, it felt like I was back home. It was a great opportunity to go back to my roots and see other people experience that, as well. Even people who were not from a Hispanic or Latin background got to experience the food, the music, the culture. For me, the food is my number one favorite thing from the Domincan Republic. And I love how open we are, our hospitality. We make you feel like you’re one of us. And we’re so passionate about everything.”
– Aly Pichardo Rosario, Success Counselor
“I’m originally from Colombia. Celebrating my Hispanic-Latino culture brings me back home. Celebrating them there, back home, is different, because everybody is Hispanic, but being here and celebrating it here with people who may be from different Latin American countries but share traditions brings me back.”
– Josue Diaz Saldarriaga, student
“I was born in Brazil, but my family is Bolivian. My favorite things, I would say, [from my country] are the food and the people…It’s heartwarming to see how everybody comes together a lot easier between those of the same culture.”
– Fiorella Rodriguez, student
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