Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: A Conversation with Two Student Leaders
Multicultural Student Union leaders discuss the importance of recognizing and celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at RWU.
BRISTOL, R.I. – Yesterday, the atrium was adorned with globes and flags from more than twenty Spanish-speaking countries. Students played dominoes, danced Bachata, ate delicious food, and listened to a speaker, celebrating and learning about Hispanic culture, heritage, and history.
The Multicultural Student Union at RWU planned this event to culminate Hispanic Heritage Month. MSU President Alexus Moniz `21 and Treasurer Meg Dela Dingco `20 discussed the importance of commemorating this month.
What is the Multicultural Student Union (MSU)?
Moniz: MSU is a diversity and inclusion organization on campus that focuses on social justice and cultural awareness.
What is important for people to know about Hispanic Heritage Month?
Dela Dingco: It’s important for people to know that there are twenty plus countries, not just Mexico and Puerto Rico. Even though they have a lot that connects them in terms of being very family oriented and all that, each country is incredible in its own way.
Moniz: Especially in our society today, where it’s just growing and growing in diversity, it’s just really important to understand those types of things.
What is this kind of event doing for RWU?
Dela Dingco: Even though this is a predominantly white institution, there is still a pretty big Hispanic community here and even if there wasn’t it’s also important to learn about different cultures and the issues that they face.
Moniz: It’s bringing people together. Everyone is from different backgrounds. We invited friends, we invited people from our classes, we invited professors. We kind of tried to reach out to as many different groups on campus as we could. It’s really important. People will look at this event and how it reflects on Roger Williams itself.
Snapshots from the Evening
