In the spirit of Hispanic/Latinx Heritage month, on Sept. 29 the Latin American Student Association (LASA) teamed up with the Hispanic/Latino Resource Center to talk about Hispanic/Latnix identity stereotypes, and clarify misconceptions about Latinos and Hispanics.

The event displayed the  different identities that exist within the Hispanic/Latinx community. 

José Burgos, the main speaker, split the group into two tables, presented each group with different words, and asked the tables to talk about what they think of when reading each word. 

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“What we want to do today is to, for those who are not familiar with Latin American culture, give you a taste of what it is, how diverse it is, all the nationalities that are brought into one single word, Latino, Hispanic.” Burgos said.

Burgos also did an interactive presentation 

He  handed each table a few strips of paper and asked everyone to write down what they think a Latinos favorite food is.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Dominique Martinez-Powell | @dmartinez_powell.photography

Jairo Javier Morales plays a game with other students during the Intricacies of Hispanic/Latinix Identity Event hosted by the Latin American Student Association Sept. 29, 2021 in Carbondale, Ill. “Those words you have there kind of represent what latino people think of themselves,” said José Burgos, head speaker and part of the Latin American student Association.

The strips were collected and Burgos then began to name favorite foods from certain Latinos he had questioned.

Burgos did the same activity for characteristics of Latinx people, popular Hispanic Latino places and famous Hispanic Latinx people. 

He  gave examples of characteristics including party animals, loud, friendly, sociable, happy, hard working, cheerful, resilient, honest, and loving.

“[I got] this idea from Martin Luther King, more or less. He said that we hate each other because we don’t understand each other, and we don’t understand each other because we’re different, of course, but also we don’t understand each other because we don’t communicate” Burgos said. 

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The activity was to clarify certain misconceptions that people might have about Latinx identities and show that stereotypes can come from within a cultural group as well as from outside of the group, LASA member Laura Jimenez said. 

Christina Castillo, coordinator for the Hispanic Latino Resource Center said, “he events that we create are not just for Latinos, it’s the opportunity to educate and to bring our culture and to share our culture and to share our issues with all the community.”

Castillo said she wants all SIU students to be aware of the activities  the Latin American Student Association puts on.

Upcoming events include Being Hispanic in Business and a movie Night showing “In the Heights.” See more here Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month 

There will be a DACA informational about the policy that protects the children of undocumented immigrants, to be held Oct 7.

The informational will also cover what the Latin American Student Association is doing to provide necessary resources for the student population to succeed, Castillo said. 

Staff reporter can be reached at [email protected]. To stay up to date with all your southern Illinois news, follow the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.

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