The Puente Club opened the annual celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month Tuesday, Sept. 17 with a parade honoring the Mexican and Central American countries that gained independence from colonial powers. The parade also included representatives of the Philippines since they also gained independence around the same time.
The event was organized by Los Medanos College professors Yollotl Lopez and Jessica Boyle with participation from Puente club members.
During a Puente meeting just before the parade, participants showcased different types of clothing from the countries represented. Many people wanting to join to support their heritage. Four tables displayed flags of Central American countries along with traditional attire. Students signed up to participate in the parade, and more attendees expressed interest in rehearsing for the performance in front of the Student Services building.
Gabriela Trejo, a student from El Salvador, said she decided to join the parade to “show people the pride that I have for my culture.”
LMC student Sophia Lopez echoed a similar sentiment.
“I love my culture,” said Lopez. “I wanted to represent Nicaragua.”
The parade itself began around noon, with participants forming a line as they celebrated their respective countries. Representatives of the Philippines kicked off the parade with their national anthem playing as they led the procession in front of Student Services. Participants took a moment to clap in unity, symbolizing a heartbeat of love for their country.
Each country was invited to ring a bell, representing its independence and honoring its culture through the performance of its national anthem. Students from the crowd joined in, including Eduardo Sanchez who spontaneously represented El Salvador.
“I saw how everyone participated in showing off their country’s attire, and I wanted to show off my pride for El Salvador,” Sanchez said.
The event concluded as everyone celebrated each country’s independence, showcasing their identities as Latinos and Filipinos with the support received from the community. The Puente Parade was hailed a success and students expressed their feelings afterward.
“It was a very beautiful thing to have seen many people celebrate their cultures and the beautiful clothing on display,” said LMC student Danny Shay.
LMC student Juan Lugo also said that it was fun to see all students go up and represent their cultures, and others in the area could be heard making positive comments, including that the event was “cool.”
Reflecting the importance of cultural representation and unity, Puente members hope the parade was effective in showcasing love and pride for their countries.
