Ya es tiempo que Pierce College tenga más eventos en Español y en Inglés. Por qué?
Pierce College is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).
According to Calmatters.org, “HSIs sometimes lack the intentionality of HBCUs in centering students’ identities and cultures in campus programs, curricula and faculty hiring practices.”
So far, Pierce faculty and staff have brought us actor Danny Trejo, muralist Robert Vargas and several other notable public figures of Latin American origins.
These successful Latinos inspire the students and the community. Pierce needs more of these guests more often. On top of that, the events can benefit from being in both English and Espanol.
Having more events hosted in Spanish may get more people to attend the events. At the same time, second, third, fourth generation students and mixed race students may benefit from being exposed to the language already spoken throughout the city.
Bilingual campus events and festivals may help the students fresh from El Salvador, from Honduras or from any country that typically make Los Angeles their new home feel more accepted in their new home county.
Pierce can get a survey of what newcomers from Central America, South America and Mexico are into as far as their cultures. After gathering such information, Pierce can start crafting events tailored around such traditions and interests. Provided that these events are fully realized and in dual language, there is a chance that they will appeal not only to Latin Americans but to the student body at large. College is a great time for students to learn and be inspired by other languages and cultures.
As diverse as Los Angeles is, the city still has segregation issues and racism. Pierce can be a place where its Latino students can come and enjoy a campus event hosted in Spanish and feel like they are a part of Los Angeles’ tapestry.
Pierce has the ability to empower and embolden the students who identify as Latin American, Latine, Latinx. The school can bring more Spanish speaking accomplished actors, journalists, broadcasters and politicians. Latin Americans need to be exposed to more successful role models who they can identify with and see themselves in.
The more bilingual events the school has, the more the school will enrich the lives and minds of the Spanish speaking students.
Let Pierce lean toward embracing the Spanish language in its events and festivities to create the new bilingual leaders of the United States. Perhaps in a generation or two, Pierce will boast that it cultivated the next Jesse Gabriel of politics, the new Rigoberta Menchu of human rights activism or the new Guillermo del Toro of filmmaking.