The time to celebrate the Latino community has arrived to Cal State Long Beach. Music, snacks, and dances will all be offered as part of the annual Latinx Heritage Month.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs is hosting “Latinx Culture Through Music,” on Sept. 14 from 6 to 10 p.m. in the University Student Union Beach Ballroom.
Latinx Culture Through Music arose from an idea created by the Latino Student Union, which is the parent organization of the 15 Latin associations at CSULB.
Overall, the plan is to represent some Latin countries and traditions with dances. “Music is art … it brings life and it makes you happy,” Christian Lozano, Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs, said. “Music is part of our culture and it contains histories and that is what we wanted to highlight with this program.”
The event will be divided in two sections. The program will begin with performances from campus groups such as Danza Azteca, Grupo Folklorico Mexica and Salsa Club. On the second part of the event attendees will have the opportunity to get to meet new people and enjoy Latin Music.
Based out of Long Beach, Danza Azteca is a family-based group that continues the tradition of indigenous dancing and music through their lively performances that include drums, singing and massive Aztec headdresses. The Grupo Folklorico Mexica brings a cultural dance representing the diverse regions of Mexico, and the CSULB Salsa Club mixes caribbean steps along with jazz rhythm to create vibrant and physical dance moves.
The event will give opportunity to attendees from all backgrounds to learn about Latinx history and culture.
“It was very important for students – and for me – that they would talk about the history and the importance of these dances,” Lozano said. “How has music maintained itself all these years and what are the origins of it.”
Lozano said the main purpose of making this kind of event is to help Latinx students create and maintain a community and to bring more students to the circle.
“We are supporting this group but at the same time, we are using this opportunity to educate the rest of the university about the Latin traditions as well as making them [non-Latin students] feel welcome to this community,” Lozano said.
This group’s main focus is to keep alive the Latinx traditions, but also to bring people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds together.