On Tuesday evening, Oct. 8, students gathered in Harden Square at California Baptist University for what was expected to be a midsized celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Advertised to run from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the event extended well past its scheduled time as lively music, energetic dancing and vibrant cultural displays kept the party going. Despite the intense heat, attendees showed up and stayed late.
Hosted by CBU’s Latino Student Union and coordinated with help from Community Life, the event provided students with a platform to celebrate Latino culture and learn about the various Hispanic countries represented on campus. Tables displaying snacks and information from countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Honduras and Guatemala lined the square, drawing in students eager to sample the flavors and traditions of each region.
“Our main goal was to give LSU a platform to not only bring new members into their club but also express what Latin heritage is,” said Natalie Rivas, junior political science major and Community Life activity intern. “I think it really reflects the university’s motto of ‘live your purpose,’ and one of our purposes is to highlight our culture and the importance of being Latina or Latino.”
Rivas emphasized the pride that comes with celebrating heritage, especially for students from Hispanic backgrounds.
“Each country has so much significance and culture,” Rivas said. “We take so much pride in that—like, that’s me, that’s my country, that’s my people. As a Latina, you want to find people from the same country with the same ethnic background. That’s just so powerful.”
This year’s event featured new additions, including a live band, Clave Dura, and folklórico performers who amazed the crowd. The mix of traditional and modern performances created a celebratory atmosphere that was hard to resist. Rivas reflected on how this year’s event stood out.
“There were so many new elements this year, and it was such a blessing and honor to work with LSU,” Rivas said. “This is ultimately their event, and they did a great job making sure everything was in place and representing all the countries really well.”
Despite the unusually high temperatures, attendees danced and celebrated. Students swayed to the beat of Clave Dura and watched performances under the warm October sun. Sophomore Abigail Esparza, attending for the first time, was awed by the sense of community and cultural pride on display.
“I was planning on coming last year but couldn’t because of class,” Esparza said. “I’m really enjoying it this year. Seeing everybody just love the culture—I’m Hispanic myself, so watching everyone indulge and have fun outside of my culture is so fun. I love to see it.”
Esparza was particularly impressed by the authenticity of the snacks available.
“Seeing what kind of food and snacks they were going to have, I was pretty impressed because, being Hispanic myself, these are actually household snacks I have at home,” she said. “It was cool to see them represented here.”
The event’s success was due in large part to the extensive planning and collaboration between LSU and Community Life. Annalisa Felix, sophomore pre-radiologic science major and part of the community outreach effort, expressed pride in how the event showcased her culture.
“It’s a chance for people to get a little piece of where we’re from and know that this is who we are, and we’re not going to change,” Felix said.
Felix also noted the event’s growth over the years.
“I think it’s gotten more eye-opening,” she said. “It’s no longer just one ethnicity or race—we’re a diverse college, and this event shows that. You get to learn a piece of someone else’s culture, and it’s nice that Community Life lets us celebrate all these different cultures.”
As the sun set, the celebration continued well beyond its scheduled end time, with students and performers still dancing, laughing and enjoying the festivities. Felix hopes the event continues to grow.
“I’m proud that we are able to continue this throughout the years; it’s an annual thing. I’m glad that everyone still comes out for it. Hopefully, it will grow and become bigger.”
The evening was more than just a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month—it was a testament to the power of community, culture and resilience. Despite the heat, students and faculty celebrated and shared their identities with the broader campus.
“This is my culture, this is your culture, and we do this together,” Rivas said. “We can have unity in this at the same time.”
The event created a sense of pride and unity within the CBU community and the greater Riverside area that will last far beyond the celebration.
