By Alondra Tamayo, Oct. 15, 2024
With around 25,000 undergraduate students at Cal Poly Pomona, 54% are Latino, according to College Board. Each of them has a story and they come together with their heritage through a myriad of hobbies, including art and personal interests, embracing their culture.
Apparel merchandising and management student Eric Santana connected with his Latino culture by pursuing fashion. Being the son of Mexican parents who were both seamstresses, Santana believes his aspiration for fashion is not a coincidence.
“I have been able to embrace my culture by learning more about my family heritage,” Santana said.
By listening to his parent’s stories, Santana learned his father worked in a manufacturing factory and is familiar with the machines Santana uses for his designs.
“Sometimes I like to think that maybe I always had sewing in my blood,” Santana said.
Learning about his parents’ past, Santana realized sewing and designing clothes started within his family, which allowed him to feel more connected to his heritage.
Although his hobbies don’t completely tie back to his heritage, Santana said the story of his parents when they were seamstresses does. Through fashion, Santana is not only able to learn more about his heritage but can also learn and connect with different cultures by learning about its history with fashion through research.
Santana isn’t the only one who connects with their family and culture through their interest, other individuals have similar stories.
Business student Jessica Hernandez comes from Salvadorian roots. Growing up, her mother taught her how to make pupusas, a popular Salvadorian dish made from flour and filled with a choice of beans, cheese, meat or vegetables that has expanded to many Latin American countries.
At every holiday, Hernandez shared her family makes pupusas for their loved ones. She expressed it’s what reunites the everyone.
“It’s crazy to think that something as small as a dish can make me feel so much love towards my culture,” Hernandez said.
According to Hernandez, making pupusas has become more of a hobby for her. Instead of waiting every few months for a celebration to make them, she makes them once a week and shares them with her friends.
“Making pupusas for my friends guides them to understand my culture more without using any words,” Hernandez said. “Seeing them enjoy every bite and brag about them to their families makes me want to pass this hobby on to my future generations.”
Being Latino is really important to Emily Torres, a psychology student. As a first-generation university student, Torres aspires to achieve all her academic goals for herself and her parents. As the daughter of Argentinian parents, she said watching soccer is what allowed her to connect with her heritage and has become one of her favorite hobbies.
“Even though I am Latina, I never felt Latina enough because I live in America and not once have been to Argentina,” Torres said. “Watching the most recent World Cup with my family, changed my whole experience with my Latin side.”
Soccer is a worldwide sport that not only brings millions of people together but also brings Torres closer to her roots and a sense of belonging in her community. Torres never played soccer but grew up watching most games with her family.
Torres was at an Argentinian restaurant the morning of the World Cup final in winter of 2022, Argentina versus France. Torres could feel every soul’s excitement in the restaurant as Argentina took the lead over France during penalty shots.
“Seeing how everyone in my family came together with other Argentinians for the World Cup made my heart feel warm,” Torres said. “I have never seen so much connection through one game. All it took was one soccer game for it to feel like I belonged, because we weren’t just celebrating Argentina’s win, but our win as Argentinians.”
According to Torres, her family’s admiration for soccer and Argentinian soccer player Lionel Messi keeps them connected. Through this love, reunions, traditions and celebrations are made.
During Argentina’s win, Torres observed everyone in the restaurant come together through excitement, joy, tears and hugs. Torres realized they didn’t care if she was Argentinian-American. At that moment, all that mattered to her was enjoying the energy transported from every individual surrounding her.
“I embrace my culture through watching sports with my loved ones,” Torres said. “I truly believe sports brings everyone together even if you’re not related. Sports bring your community together to remind us that regardless of being Argentinian-American, we belong.”
Feature image courtesy of Unsplash
