We are in the midst of National Hispanic Heritage month, a time to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

September 15th was significant as it was the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile also celebrated their independence on September 16th and 18th respectively.

On September 19th, Casa Latina, a club that is dedicated to providing cultural, social, and academic support to student and community members, hosted Mi Casa Su Casa, its annual welcome event.

Berlinda Mojica, the coordinator of Casa Latina, opened the event with an inspiring message, echoing a similar message to National Hispanic Heritage month.

“If I had a message for all UMass Boston students, it would be to enjoy your time here. Your college experience is so important, and joining an organization such as Casa Latina has had a profound impact on me, on my life.”

Mojica spoke of overcoming the often-cited limitation of UMass Boston, a campus that is described as lacking student engagement.

“[UMB students] complain of the commuter nature of the campus. These students need to get involved if they want to a chance to experience this community.”

Various professors from the Latino community then spoke of the range of opportunities available on campus.

“At the beginning of the school year, I come here and my heart fills with joy … because of the beautiful faces, minds, and hearts of the Latino community. You are some of the few diverse faces left in what has become an apartheid state, what has become a segregated state,” said Professor Ester Shapiro of the Psychology department. “I welcome you to Mi Casa, a place where we come together from different backgrounds.”

The community then engaged in an icebreaker, enjoyed picadera and engaged in dancing.

Casa Latina is located on the third floor of the Campus Center.