September 15 to October 15 was Latine heritage month, which Nueva celebrated with a plethora of events organized by the Latine/Hispanic affinity group. To start off the month, there was an all-school assembly where students and staff had the opportunity to learn to salsa with Dean of Students Jackee Bruno and College Counselor Erika Rojas. 

“I think one of the best ways to learn and to have fun at the same time is to have hands-on activities,” said Pablo Z.’27, a co-lead of the Latine/Hispanic affinity group. As such, the Latine-Hispanic affinity group planned immersive activities like a DJ on the Rosenberg lawn. 

At the same time, this month was a time to think about current issues affecting the Latine/Hispanic community. “I also really wanted to acknowledge the political stigma going on in the U.S. right now including ICE raids and stereotypes,” said Izzy H.-H. ’27, another co-lead of the Latine/Hispanic affinity group. 

The Latine/Hispanic affinity group hosted a bake sale to support those affected by immigration and raise awareness to present-day issues through their presentation during the assembly. Moreover, students were asked to reflect on their perspectives.  

“It’s really important that people analyze and assess and acknowledge their biases and the stereotypes that they have,” Izzy said. “Even though Nueva does a good job about diversity and acknowledging the different perspectives, I think that there is still inherently going to be some biases and stereotypes in people’s ideals.”

Similarly, Pablo reminded students and staff to look at our community more closely. “I think it’s important that we show that we are not only people, but we are your friends, we are your peers, we are your advisers, your students,” Pablo said. “By cultivating cultural awareness, we can break down barriers and build bridges.”