Hispanic Heritage Month came to close on Tuesday, celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans descending from hispanic countries, according to the Library of Congress .
18% of Rhode Island’s population identifies as hispanic, creating a large population to support at the University of Rhode Island, according to Robert Britto-Oliveria, Multicultural Student Services Center assistant director.
Reflecting hispanic culture and identity in the MSSC helps hispanic students feel at home in a place where they may not feel represented, according to Britto-Oliveria. A lack of hispanic representation in faculty and positions of leadership can worsen that feeling.
“[Hispanic students] aren’t well reflected in the faculty and staff,” Britto-Oliveria said.
The MSSC is trying to support students of color early, according to Britto-Oliveria. That support and belonging leads to higher retention rates among students.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the MSSC collaborated with student organizations and URI alumni to put on events throughout September and October. Britto-Oliveria centered alumni and students to stay true to the URI experience.
“I’m very intentional about alumni engagement, so that way students can see themselves reflected in our alumni base,” Britto-Oliveria said.
AGONZA ’15, a street artist regularly brought to the MSSC, came on Sept. 18 for a cultural art event in collaboration with the URI Dominican Alliance and Latinx Student Association. Students were welcome to paint with AGONZA, creating murals to be hung in the MSSC. The event reached maximum capacity, creating 16 murals.
“Students are decorating the center with their art, rather than having a random piece of artwork throughout the center,” Britto-Oliveria said.
On Sept. 24, the MSSC held Beats and Eats, which was an event on the Quad with Macs Screaming Corn & Tacos. Students were able to check or update their voter registration status and find out information on mail-in voting while eating tacos.
Bringing in authentic food, no matter what country, makes students feel at home when on campus, Britto-Oliveria said.
In collaboration with five on-campus organizations, the MSSC held Queriendo Conexión, or “Wanting Connection,” on Oct. 7. Guest speaker Kevin Pajaro-Mariñez ’15 spoke to an audience of 60 young black and brown men on topics of traditional masculinity and vulnerability.
“It was a shared space that many of [the audience members] admitted to never having before,” Britto-Oliveria said.
The MSSC worked with the URI Women’s Center for their final events of the month, A Taste of Culture and Spill the Tea, on Oct. 9. Both events are held regularly by the MSSC and Women’s Center respectively.
Two URI eXposure dance troupe alumni were brought to the event to teach salsa, bachata and merengue lessons.
The MSSC supports students by highlighting and sponsoring cultural student organizations such as the Dominican Alliance, Brothers on a New Direction and the Latin Student Association, according to Britto-Oliveria.
“We support them in that capacity and making sure that they know this place is their home away from home on campus,” Britto-Oliveria said.
The MSSC is open from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. Celebration of Native American Heritage Month will begin on campus in November.