As Austin Peay State University formally kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month, students reflected on what it personally means to them.
“Hispanic Heritage Month means love and respect for the generations before us that had implemented this culture and started everything. I focus on my Chicano roots because my family is from Los Angeles. And so a lot of the Mexican-American culture kind of started in California. So this month is just a month of joy and expression. It makes me happy to show off my culture,” said Samantha Rosencrants, a transfer student at Austin Peay State University.
That joy has been amplified by the presence of the Latino Cultural Center on campus, something Rosencrants values deeply after transferring from a university that lacked similar resources.
“It’s actually really amazing,” said Rosencrants, “The university I attended previously didn’t have anything specific for the Hispanic and Latin community. But it was also a smaller university, so it makes sense. I’m happy that they have it here. I also don’t see it as exclusive only for Latinos or Hispanics. The Hispanic and Latinx communities have many different types of cultures. I’m really happy that we have that space.”
Rosencrants’ involvement on campus is not limited to attending activities; she’s also a member of Sigma Lambda Gamma, the university’s only multicultural sorority. The group has collaborated with the Latino Cultural Center to help promote Hispanic Heritage Month events.
“We’ll be helping promote the soccer tournament, the quinceañera ball and all the different events,” said Rosencrants.
For Bryan Najera, a junior in the College of Arts and Letters majoring in Studio Art, Hispanic Heritage Month is a reminder of family, resilience, and pride.
“I am of Mexican descent. I’m a child of two immigrant parents and a first-generation college student,” Najera said. “Coming from immigrant parents and immigrant siblings, being the first American-born child and the first to go to college, I showed my younger siblings that you can do it. As we say in Spanish, sí se puede.”
Najera takes pride in showing his siblings that success in higher education is possible, even when navigating experiences their parents never had. For him, identity and resolve are a part of his experience at Austin Peay.
Najera used his artistic talents to assist in the celebration. He helped design this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month t-shirt, incorporating the flags of Hispanic and Latin American countries into a sarape-inspired pattern. The design forms an outline of the state of Tennessee on the shirt, with adjectives written in Spanish filling the inside.
“Just showing that in Tennessee, we are represented. ‘I am strong’, ‘I am intelligent’ and on the back, ‘Soy Gov,’ meaning, ‘I am a Gov.’ We are all those things while still having our Hispanic heritage.” Najera said.
Najera is especially thrilled to be able to showcase Hispanic culture in the arts.
“There’s an art showcase, where I will present some of my art. I think that will be a cool way to see Hispanic heritage in art form, which I find very beautiful,” said Najera.
Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. At APSU, the celebration provides a space for students to voice and represent themselves and build a richer, more diverse campus community.
