Los Medanos College kicked off LatinX Heritage Month with a Creative Conversation event in the Student Union Lounge. Every year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, many LatinX communities celebrate to honor their history. The reason why Sept. 15 is significant is because it marks the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries. 

The event was hosted by both the LatinX and Art clubs as a fun and educational collaboration. 

The leader of the LatinX club, Gabriel Perez Cano, said the club had been planning this event for more than two weeks and chose this date to kick off Spanish Heritage Month. He said he hopes more people will join the LatinX club as he believes his community is important and should be acknowledged. 

The educational and engaging event started with a presentation by LMC Art Professor Eric Sanchez, who showcased two Bay Area LatinX artists. DJ Agana and Favianna Rodriguez.

 Agana is a DJ first and an artist second. The LatinX activist from Mission San Francisco chose spray paint as her medium and has painted beautiful murals in Oakland, a lot of which showcases her Mexican heritage.  

Favianna Rodriguez is a first-generation LatinX activist located in Oakland. In her biography, her work is described as a record of her human experience as a woman of color embracing joy, sexual pleasure and personal transformation. 

In addition to Sanchez’s presentation, the event consisted of other artistic activities like painting. Art supplies were available and participants were encouraged to paint whatever they  wanted and to let their creativity flow. The clubs also generously provided delicious food, as they usually do, which were tacos and vegetarian options were also available.

As for the future, Cano shared a sneak peak into the club’s next event. They are planning to do something for Día de los Muertos on Nov. 2, said Cano.