Food, entertainment, music and a celebration of community put the finishing touch on San Diego State University’s salute to Latinx traditions, individuals and contributions honored during Hispanic Heritage Month 2023.
The fourth annual Pachanga event on Thursday — hosted by the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity department, the Latinx Resource Center, One SDSU Community and SDSU Latina Network — aspired to bring intersectional events on campus to connect students and embrace diversity in all forms.
Erik Esqueda, chair of the committee for Pachanga, describes the importance of creating intersectional events as “a reminder and a call to our communities and beyond, to stand in solidarity, continue educating ourselves, and appreciate the liberty we get to enjoy that other parts of the planet may not have.”
This year’s month-long celebration centered around the theme, Know Your Past to Transform Our Future: Siempre Pa’Alente y Nunca Pa’tras. As a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), SDSU marks the importance of creating events to their Hispanic, Chicanx and Latinx communities.
The event featured SDSU alumni drag performers Lady Blanca, Amore Envy and Chikavara. The three Latinx/Hispanic artists joined the Pachanga on campus to celebrate the richness of diversity and the union of LGBT and Latin representation here at SDSU.
“I think mainly what I’m trying to do is just showcase in my performance that you can come from where you come from and you can have all of these obstacles thrown at you, but if you are resilient enough you can still come out of it on top,” said Envy. “I'm glad there is representation on our campus, this may be the stomping ground for other things to grow up. I'm happy to be here and represent the Latinx community.”
In closing the night, as aromatic Mexican food and Latin music filled the air in the Lee and Frank Goldberg Courtyard of the Conrad Prebys Student Union, attendees made their way to the dance floor to commemorate the occasion and officially wrap up SDSU’s Hispanic Month celebration.
For Esqueda, these closing moments prompted profound reflection.
“This is a time to dance, to remember, to honor the struggles and sacrifices that so many of our community have fought for,” said Esqueda. “It is a reminder that our liberties and freedom are not guaranteed and can be taken away.”
Some other event organizers include Maybelline Arevalo Lopez, Amaris Gonzalez, Fadiel Hernandez, Rosalia Arellano, Esther Rodriguez, Javier Diego Jacinto and Isabel Torres Zepeda.