Esperanza Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
Students celebrate Hispanic culture during Esperanza. (Photo Credit Laken Franchetti/The Gettysburgian)
By Laken Franchetti, Staff Writer
Multiple organizations within Gettysburg College assisted in holding Esperanza: A Celebration of Hope and Hispanic Heritage on Oct. 1 on Stine Lake. Project Gettysburg-León, the Center for Public Service, the Latin American Student Association (LASA), and the Office of Student Activities and Greek Life held this celebration in place of Salsa in the Square, which was canceled due to COVID-19 retrictions.
LASA member Yesenia Posada Cruz ’25 said, “This event is new since LASA usually holds Salsa in the Square, and that event was a good opportunity to celebrate with the community. [Esperanza] is a little more restricted, but I think it is still good for people to celebrate together, especially since it is Hispanic Heritage month.”
Salsa in the Square is typically held every year, connecting college students and members of the Gettysburg community through dancing, music, and food, in order to celebrate Hispanic culture. Due to the pandemic, the event was canceled last year, and LASA decided to cancel the event for this year as well, due to continuing safety concerns. This led to organizations within the college working together to create something new for this year.
An Adams County organization known as Casa de la Cultura also assisted with the festivities. Their goal is to promote the cultural rights of immigrant communities at local, regional, and global levels. This collaboration with Gettysburg College allowed them to explore and celebrate Latino culture.
Esperanza celebrated Hispanic culture through authentic foods, music, dancing, and decorations, including the papel picado flags hanging on strings of light.
LASA secretary Elyssa Villarreal ’22 said, “Since Salsa in the Square was cancelled, Esperanza is a nice event that brings the chance to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month on campus.”
While it is not the typical Hispanic Heritage month celebration held at Gettysburg, Esperanza still allowed students to celebrate Hispanic culture.
