Islander Cultural Alliance welcomed students, faculty and staff to their in person Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff on Sept. 15 in the UC Anchor Ballroom.

Everyone celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with guest speakers, live music from TAMU-CC’s Mariachi de la Isla, free food, prizes, Loteria and other activities to showcase the history behind the Hispanic culture. Although COVID-19 is still occurring, the university put on this celebration while recommending masks and social distancing from others.

Adrian Rodriguez, vice president of Student Engagement and Success, was honored to speak at the HHM kickoff as the Islander community came together to celebrate who they truly are here on the Island. Rodriguez explained how he’s motivated to have the opportunity to celebrate the heritage, culture and cultural enrichment programs that the university puts on.

“One of the things we want to do is celebrate every Islander as a  Hispanic-serving institution,” said Rodriguez, “I think the main thing is that, you know, for us to come together as Islanders to be able to celebrate with each other. I think that’s something we really value here at the Island… we have our Islander identity.”

Andrea Montalvo-Hamid, professional assistant professor of English and HHM coordinator, spoke on how HHM events allow everyone to be welcomed into the culture and the festivities that the university provides to the campus.

“I think it’s important that we feature people in our community who are doing things and making an impact,” said Montalvo-Hamid, “I think a lot of people don’t understand the history of this region and how rich we are in terms of activism. A month is not enough for me, I think this is something we should do all the time. We should always be learning about the rich histories of all the people in this country, not just one group of people and the impact they’ve had.”

Montalvo-Hamid continued by saying it’s important to engage with other cultures and immerse yourself in the rich histories and traditions of other peoples.

For more information on the full calendar of HHM events, visit this link for additional details https://www.tamucc.edu/hispanic-heritage-month/.