The second annual La Alianza Latina Fall Festival will bring issues faced by Latinos in America to the forefront at Dartmouth.
The week-long festival, which began last Friday, is in celebration of the National Hispanic Heritage Month that extends from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Various Latino organizations on campus will be hosting the celebration.
According to La Alianza president Omar Rashid '00, the purpose of the week is to raise awareness of the Latino cultural experience. Rashid is also president of Lambda Upsilon Lambda, the historically Latino fraternity.
"We want to raise the question of what it means to be Latino," he said. "People say that being Latin is hip, but what does this mean? It is not all about icons like Ricky Martin, Sammy Sosa and Jennifer Lopez. We need to ask what the consequences are of having Latinos as the largest minority here."
Rashid said he hopes the Fall Festival will increase Dartmouth's acceptance of Hispanic students here.
By the end of the year, U.S. Latinos will outnumber African Americans, Rashid said. "We hope to keep Hanover up to speed with the rest of the country's Latinization."
Rashid said that people tend to group all Latinos together. He said this celebration strives to break down the stereotypes that exist by teaching the community about distinct cultures within Latino population in America.
The La Alianza Latina Festival, was organized by La Alianza, Movimiento Estudiante Chicano de Aztlan, LUL and Hijas de Esperanza.
The Festival will include a keynote speech given by Suzanne Oboler on "Latinos in the 21st Century: Confronting Difference/Building Unity," a dance performance by the Ballet Folklorico Mexicano, an Open Mic Poetry Slam, and a film viewing and discussion on "The Color of Fear."
The highlight of the week will be the culminating banquet called Noche Dorada, which will be held in Collis Commonground at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 16.
This final celebration will feature a keynote address given by Dr. Felix Padilla, a sociologist who specializes in Latino and gender issues, on the theme of "Cultural Literacy."
His speech will cover the efforts to break the language and cultural barriers of Latinos living in the United States, as well as addressing the problems of their involvement in the areas of education, politics and medicine.
"So many Hispanics in America get limited access to health care because of these barriers," Rashid said in reference to Padilla's speech. "The theme of cultural literacy will address this problem."
Additional features of Noche Dorada include a performance by the Welfare Poets, a jazz poetry band that performs poetry accompanied by music with a special focus on Latin American issues as the Puerto Rican independence.
A Mariachi band from Boston will also be performing during dinner for the audience. They will play selected music as a group and will also take requests from the audience as they circulate among tables.
Traditional food of Spain, Central and South Americas and the Caribbean will be served at the dinner.
"It will give people the opportunity to really experience the culture at all levels, with both the traditional food and the music at the event," Rashid said.
Noche Dorada will conclude with a dance party, which will feature one Puerto Rican and two Native American disk jockeys. The music variety will feature a mix of hip hop, reggae, salsa and meringue. This nonalcoholic party will be held from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. in Collis Commonground.
The Dartmouth community has shown its support for the planning of this celebration through financial assistance. The Rockefeller Foundation, Dickey Center, Dean's Office, CFSC and the Afro American Society are a few of the numerous organizations and groups that have contributed money toward the planning of the Fall Festival.
Alex Hernandez Siegel, the Hispanic Latino Adviser, who advises La Alianza, MECHA and LUL, has also donated funds from his personal budget for the event.
