Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month

By Jaszy Segarra

As a fifth-grader, I saw Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month content on TV channels I watched like Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. That was the first time I heard about Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month. The first time I saw content about Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month, I was in elementary school watching tv in my mother’s living room. I was excited to see my culture and similar cultures represented in the media. I have always wondered how people celebrate this month, since growing up, my family celebrated our culture each and every day. 

As I got older, I took interest in learning more about this month of celebration and my family’s history. My mother is an amazing cook. She taught my brothers, sisters, and I how to cook dishes that were deeply rooted in our culture, often while telling us stories about Puerto Rico and our family’s journey to Milwaukee. 

Milwaukee has Latinx representation. There are Latinx-owned businesses, grocery stores, cultural festivals, restaurants, and more. I remember going to quinceañeras, Puerto Rican fest, concerts, and restaurants. I thought this is how it was everywhere. 

When I moved to central Wisconsin to attend the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, I realized there isn’t much Latinx representation outside of “bigger” cities like Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Appleton, and others. I was tired of eating the same foods every day and wanted to make some home-cooked meals that reminded me of home, so I went to the grocery store to find the ingredients.

I was shocked when I realized the grocery store didn’t have all the ingredients I needed. I felt like an outsider in a whole new world. I wondered if I was the only one who felt excluded. This experience is what led me to attend a Latino Student Alliance (LSA) meeting on campus and learned I wasn’t alone in this feeling. 

LSA was putting together an event for Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month called Celebraciõn Hispana. This was my first time celebrating Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month officially. There was good food, performances, and a DJ, and I danced all night long. I began to feel like I belonged on campus and continued to attend these celebrations all throughout undergrad.

Because of this experience, I became comfortable celebrating and sharing my culture with others. For my graduation, I even bought a big Puerto Rican flag that my family swung around as I walked across the stage. This was a huge moment for me; I went from being uncomfortable with who I was when I was a freshman, to be comfortable expressing myself and celebrating my culture. 

I now look forward to continuing to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month every day and every year!

Happy Latinx Heritage Month!