Hopkins's Organización Latina Estudiantil (OLÉ) kicked off the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month on Sept. 30th, during their Opening Ceremonies in the Glass Pavilion. The event included salsa dancing, food and a guest speaker.
The night began with a five table long buffet of authentic Latino foods, drinks and desserts.
"Access to authentic Latino food is hard to come by on the Hopkins campus, and many students don't have regular access to Fell's Point, where the prominent Latino restaurants are located," senior Christine Hall, OLÉ President, said. "Students love the opportunity to have a great Latino meal, and we love to provide it."
Hall addressed attendees with an introduction to OLÉ, discussing what the group strives to do within the Hopkins community and the greater Baltimore area.
"Our theme for this month is improving various Latino communities throughout the Baltimore area. To do so we first need to pull the Latino community of Hopkins together, which is a primary goal of OLÉ. Other groups are often seen together, and OLÉ wants this bond to be shared by the Latinos throughout campus as well," Hall said.
Hall then introduced the guest speaker James A. Ferg-Cadima, a member of the Latino Legal Vice for Civil Rights in America. In his speech, Ferg-Cadima stressed the importance of education for Latinos and access to certain educational resources. He spoke more specifically about the Dream Act and its relation to Maryland as well as about the push for Governor O'Malley to give opportunities to undocumented Latinos.
"Mr. Ferg-Cadima brought to life the dreams and deferred dreams of Latinos in his speech. His focus on the political and cultural hurdles that Latinos have to adjust to was very informative and inspirational," Joseph Colón, the Assistant Director for Multi-Cultural Affairs and advisor for OLÉ, said.
Students also appreciated what Ferg-Cadima had to say.
"OLÉ always brings in good speakers, and it is great to see and interact with prominent Hispanics working in industries where Hispanics tend to be underrepresented," senior Isai Badaraco said. "That is one of the special aspects of OLÉ. Getting to hear such interesting perspectives,"
Following the guest speaker, attendees were invited to hit the dance floor and try their best at learning the salsa. The high turnout of nearly 30 students crowded the dance floor.
"We had a very good turnout tonight, especially for the event being on a Friday night. It was nice to see that not everyone was Latino also, because this really shows the sense of diversity that OLÉ strives for," Raymond Ruiz, the Secretary for OLÉ said.
The salsa dancing was taught by dance instructors from a studio in downtown Baltimore. OLÉ hops bring back a weekly dance class this year with the same instructors.
"Salsa dancing was my favorite part of the night. Enjoying the Latino culture by dancing to salsa and enjoying great food with my Latino and non-Latino friends is a great experience. I definitely plan on attending future events like this one," Isai Badaraco, a senior, said.
The event was meant to bring the Latino and Hopkins community together, while showcasing OLÉ's efforts.
"What many people don't know about OLÉ is that it is an umbrella organization which encompasses other cultural groups, such as the Caribbean Culture Society and Salud. The Latino culture itself is a myriad of different groups and cultures, so it is great to see that OLÉ works with other organizations throughout the Hopkins community," Colón said.
Latino Heritage Month begins in the middle of September and ends in the middle of October.
OLÉ has further plans for the rest of the year to celebrate Spanish heritage including dance lessons, potlucks and more guest speakers. Additionally, they are looking to team up with Habitat for Humanity for some community service.
"I will definitely be looking for the Facebook events for OLÉ. The club always manages to entertain everyone who shows up, and it is a great way to enjoy the Latino culture and some great food," senior Nigel Harris said.
The next event in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month is a Latino Potluck Dinner which is tonight, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. in the Charles Commons Kitchen.
