(Photo courtesy of UMass Lowell) Latinx heritage month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct.15

Nicole Estrada-Rosario
Connector Staff

Latinx Heritage Month is observed yearly from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and is meant to explore the his- tories, cultures and contributions of people from cultures that originate in places like South and Central America.

The Latin American Student Association (LASA) is a club on campus that concentrates on creating an interactive community for Latinx students. LASA took the lead on observing Latinx Heritage Month.

Throughout September and October, LASA host- ed and will host events related to Latinx culture. They also interacted through social media by shar- ing weekly facts, culturally diverse recipes and spot- lights. The events ranged in interactivity and topic, but were all aimed at educating and including the Latinx community.

Comida Latina, an event in the Fox Dining Com- mons, hosted on Sept. 20, explored the different cuisines found in Latin America while teaching students about their cultures through recipes and food.

While Latinx Heritage Month can be seen as an educational month for people outside of Latinx communities, it is also a month for people in these communities to learn more about their own and each other’s pasts, as well as exploring their potential futures.

The Latinx Heritage Student/Alumni Network- ing event, hosted on Sept. 22, took a different approach than Comida Latina by inviting alumni of Latinx origin to speak to students. UMass Lowell’s Office of Multicultural Affairs wrote on their web- site, “Alumni of Latinx origin [were] present to share their insights to networking and post college career lives.”

There were still Latinx-related events available after the end of the aforementioned events. O’Leary Library, for example, participated in Latinx Heritage Month by sharing some of their resources related to Latinx culture. Throughout the month, there was a LibGuide with multiple readings and videos available to anyone interested in the histories and current events of Latinx communities.

The readings and videos explored the other side of Latinx culture. Where the events mentioned

above explored the diversity in culture and beauty within them, many of the resources in the guide explored the hidden and visible struggles that members of Latinx communities face.

Latinx Heritage month comes to an end with the Oct. 28 event, Café Con Leche, where event participants will be able to join LASA in looking back at 2019’s celebration of the same event. The conclusion of the month ends with memories of the cultural performances of the year before.