Latinos Unidos is a club that celebrates the diversity of Hispanic and Latino students within the O’Dowd community. The members come from various Spanish-speaking countries, collectively honoring, sharing, and celebrating the many traditions and cultures represented. The club includes people from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, El Salvador, Chile, Venezuela, Mexico, Guatemala, and many more, each bringing a beautiful and unique culture that can be celebrated by all in the O’Dowd community.

In the past years, activities included food sales, mass for El Día de Los Muertos, and a variety of dances for the multicultural week. In addition to these, members of the club would put together an altar where students and faculty are invited to honor their loved ones who have passed. 

This year, Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15th and will be celebrated through October 15th. Due to the coronavirus, Latinos Unidos have discovered new ways to commemorate their culture online.

Alana Mieses ‘22, a member of Latinos Unidos, shared her experience actively participating in the club and organizing events. With new ways to commemorate their culture online, Mieses says, “We are proud to announce that our club is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month for the first time! Our club has been actively organizing club meetings to host activities through our Instagram page @latinosunidosbod.” 

Latinos Unidos is expressing their culture through their Instagram account. Filling its feed are posts celebrating the Independence Days of various Spanish-speaking nations, as well as significant artists and influencers in the Latino community. In addition, they posted several tutorials on how to cook special dishes from Chile, El Salvador, and Ecuador so that individuals in the O’Dowd community be immersed in the culture from the comfort of their own homes. These amazing dishes include Chilean empanadas, Salvadoran pupusas, and Ecuadorian patacones!

Not only is Hispanic Heritage Month important to those celebrating their own culture, but it is a time for all to honor the accomplishments of Hispanic and Latino Americans who have enriched U.S. culture and helped make America the country it is today.

“I think an effective way our community can learn more about the Hispanic culture is by considering the significant contributions our people have on our society today,” Alana Mieses states. “A lot of the times, the struggles our people have had to endure go unspoken of today, and I think they are an important aspect to contemplate when educating oneself on our culture.”

With Hispanic Heritage Month coming to a close, the Latinos Unidos made it a memorable effort to honor their culture, despite the difficult circumstances in COVID-19.