On Tuesday, over 30 members of the Kenyon community gathered to celebrate the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month. The event was held in the Chalmers Library Bulmash Exhibition Hall to showcase the exhibit A New Way to See, which highlights Kenyon’s Latine studies concentration. Pamela G. Hollie Chair in Global Challenges and Professor of Psychology Irene López curated the exhibit and began the event by welcoming everyone and introducing the upcoming speakers: Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Chris Kennerly; President of Adelante Ia Sofia Cabre-Jockovich ’27; and, finally, President Julie Kornfeld. 

Kennerly began his speech with a history of the month before describing his more personal connections to the Latine community. “As I thought about what to say today, I found myself thinking not only about the history we celebrate, but also the people whose lives and examples shape our own. For me, one of those people was Maria Cristina Gabriel, my mentor in higher education. Cristina was born in Havana, Cuba, and her life and career left a lasting impact on me and so many others,” Kennerly said. During his speech, he chose to honor the woman who helped set him on his path. “She passed away on Oct. 15, the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, 2012. But her influence continues to the many students, colleagues and communities whose lives she touched, and certainly through me.”

López began her speech by thanking Director of Special Collections and Archives Elizabeth Williams-Clymer and Outreach Librarian for Special Collections and Archives Eve Kausch for their help with the exhibit. She went on to explain the purpose of the exhibit and Latine studies more broadly. “Neplanta describes this concept of being in an in-between space, a space where cultures, languages … identities and different ways of knowing come into contact. Being Latino in the U.S. is at once a local experience and at once a global experience,” López said. She stressed the dual purpose of the concentration: to learn and to do. She also gave a call to arms, explaining that concentrations like Latine studies are made possible by students who care enough to make their needs heard. She specifically cited student-led advocacy as a reason that Latine studies is possible. “You have more power than you think you do. You have the power to change what is taught. You have the power to demand that these things continue to be taught.”

López concluded her speech by reflecting on the current and difficult moment for Latine people in America. While this event was celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, López reminded everyone that, in America right now, someone could be abducted and separated from their family for looking or acting Latine. “I’m very happy that Kenyon has been very supportive of us, but we need to do more,” López urged. “We can only survive when programs like this are supported, when faculty are supported, when courses are offered regularly, when interdisciplinarity is seen as real intellectual work, when we have the support structures in place, when we have a strong, well-staffed office of DEI. …It brings us back to the exhibition and to the quotes from students on the wall. They remind us that we have to do better, and so I end with this — by saying, ‘Kenyon, do better.’”

Next up was Cabre-Jockovich, who shared her experience growing up surrounded by Latin culture in Massachusetts and the effect of coming to a school like Kenyon: “It took me going to a predominantly white institution to learn that homogeneity, even if it’s of a minority, is not diversity. … This is why months like Latina Heritage Month are so important. They break the assimilation pattern and remind us that we’re still here and that the community you’ve been missing exists.” Cabre-Jockovich went on to explain the importance of places like Adelante in providing resources for the Latine community on campus. She advertised Adelante’s events for the upcoming month while also highlighting that engaging with Latine culture can happen throughout the year. 

Kornfeld wrapped up the event and encouraged everyone to look around the exhibit. As the ceremony ended, the buzz filtered out into the rest of the Winkler Atrium and Hispanic Heritage Month at Kenyon College had officially begun.