¡Viva los latinos! Celebrating the joyous and vibrant culture of Latin roots can grant the opportunity to be immersed in the traditions of their history.
Whether that be through your abuela’s home recipes, a mariachi’s blast of the trumpet or the cotton waves of the dancer’s flowing skirts, anyone can dive deeper into the beauty of Latin American culture.
To celebrate this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month, the City of Irvine hosted its second annual Fiesta Latina on Sept. 17 at the Great Park, celebrating the diverse countries of Central and South America in order to unify Irvine’s Hispanic community and celebrate the diverse cultures within it.
“People would be surprised how quickly they’d be pulled into the song and dance because the culture is so welcoming,” junior Jonathan Gutierrez said. “The event is a perfect way for anyone to get introduced into the Hispanic community.”
Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan opened the event alongside other City Council members and sponsors where she shared her hope to honor the vibrant traditions of the Latinx community.
“The biggest thing for me is to celebrate Hispanic communities, but also for others to see how enriching this culture is,” Khan said. “It was very important to make sure that everyone in Irvine had a place here and that this was their home.”
Immersing students in high energy folklórico dances, mariachi music and black pottery design brings awareness to underrepresented groups within the city.
Student volunteers also helped run craft booths and jewelry making activities. Many popular recipes were also brought to life with the help of food vendors and unique family recipes that were displayed during instructional cooking classes.
“I did this event last year and the crowd has grown from not just the Hispanic community attending but also people from other cultures as well,” High School Youth Action Team volunteer junior Sophia Yang said. “The success of the event has inspired members of the Northwood Latinx community to encourage students to educate themselves about other cultures as well as share their own.”
Fiesta Latina is part of the city’s continuous mission to recognize and bring together diverse cultures. As a part of this goal, the City is also hosting the Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept. 29 at the Great Park, where community members can celebrate the South-East Asian culture.
“What we did today by exploring, learning and educating ourselves about the culture helps,” Gutierrez said. “You can also join clubs and take classes related to our culture where you not only learn the language but also learn about the people and traditions as well.”
