‘I Will Always Represent my Culture and Background’

As a proud Latina woman, I am empowered to be a Diversity Peer Educator with the Myatt Center for Diversity & Inclusion (MCDI) and to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM). HHM does not only serve to educate but to celebrate the culture, the language, the history, and the Hispanic community.

Growing up, I did not acknowledge HHM, not because it was not special to me, but because representing my Salvadorian culture was already a part of my daily life. My family and I would speak Spanish every day, and we were always proud to share our culture with the world while educating others around us. We would make tamales for Christmas and pupusas, our main dish, on the weekends while playing Lotería, our favorite game, at our neighborhood barbecue. Coming to the University of New Haven, I told myself it is important and necessary to embrace that sense of character.

Throughout the academic year, the MCDI hosts events to promote cultural diversity, awareness, and acceptance throughout the University community. During HHM – from September 15 to October 15 – the MCDI, as well as several organizations on campus, organize social and cultural events focusing on educating individuals on Hispanic culture and history.

An event we will be kicking off the month with is “Chalk Your Flag” – our twist to Rep Your Flag. Students will be able to draw their country's flag out on the sidewalk by the MCDI. We want students to be able to gain a level of confidence and comfort to feel free enough to express their backgrounds with our community. Not only that, but we want students to socialize and learn about the different cultures represented on campus.

As president for the University’s Pre-Law Society, I am also helping to host an event for Hispanic Heritage Month. Our event will be based on diversity and inclusion within the workforce. We will have guest speakers speak about their experiences being Latinx/Hispanic while working in government and politics. We want students to be able to never feel ashamed of their cultural background and to carry it with pride in every situation/environment they are in or face.

I take pride in being a Hispanic woman, and I will always represent my culture and background wherever I am.

Jasmin Guevara ’22, a political science major at the University of New Haven, serves as a diversity peer educator and as president of the Pre-Law Society.