by Elizabeth R. Brown
On October 4, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month at the Metro campus center food court from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. The event is a celebration of histories, cultures and contributions made by American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Student and faculty members came to show the most beautiful heritage love.
In attendance at the event was Jacques Smith, Sr., program manager of the Black American Council, Cheryl D’Mello, instruction specialist in the Learning Commons Department and Nache Jones, director of student engagement in the Student Activities Department.
“Metro campus office of student engagement is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and help all of our students feel seen and appreciated,” Jones said. “We are honored to showcase the beauty and diversity of Hispanic American culture.”
Jessica Cartagena, project manager for Hispanic Heritage Council said, “the Hispanic Council is happy to celebrate Hispanic month.” That, “I was proud to be able to attend and create a flower to honor the culture but most importantly be able to honor the Hispanics all over America and really enjoy the dances as well. I was very honored to see all the flags from Puerto Rico all the way to the Dominican Republic. I was also very much honored to see the churros which is a cinnamon treat but very delicious along with the rice with steak and chicken.”
The Hispanic Council was created in 1992 and identifies, develops, and facilitates the implementation of initiatives that benefit both Tri-C and its Hispanic community. The Council is based at the Western Campus in Parma and supports all Hispanic students by offering the following services:
- College enrollment and class registration
- Completion of financial aid documents (FAFSA)
- English as a second language registration
- Scholarships
- Deferred action childhood arrival support
- Foreign language academic transcript support
The Hispanic Education Conference also has an annual conference which addresses education related topics such as recruitment, retention, leadership, careers, community outreach, and financial aid.
According to www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov there are ten ways to celebrate the national Hispanic month which is September 15 – October 15, 2023. During this time, over seven Latin American countries celebrate their independence.
According to https://www.wkyc.com there are a lot of events that Cleveland hosted during the month-long celebration. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honors Hispanics and has a great celebration that everyone should attend if you’re ever in Cleveland on September 30.
The Hispanic Council can be reached by contacting Jessica Cartagena, program manager at the Western campus at (216) 987-5691 or Danny Vazquez, recruitment specialist at the Metro campus at (216) 987-4420.
- Tags: Hispanic Heritage Month