Student showcase celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

By Abby McCutchan, Staff Writer

Published Nov 1, 2023

Claudia Tiffany Rodriguez, a ballet folklorico dancer, performs at the SACNAS Latinx Heritage Showcase. (Abby McCutchan/Staff Writer)

A Latinx Heritage Showcase marked the final day of Hispanic Heritage Month on Oct. 15, recognizing and celebrating the various Hispanic cultures at TCU.

The Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, known as SACNAS, hosted the event.

Students dance at the Latinx Heritage Showcase hosted by SACNAS. (Abby McCutchan/Staff Writer)

“Hispanic Heritage Month serves the purpose of conserving the Hispanic culture and allowing it to be passed on to new generations,” SACNAS Vice President Joceline Pinales-Saavedra, a sophomore biology and child development double major, said.

SACNAS PR and Marketing Director Ailicec Valdez, a sophomore environmental science major, said the showcase took a month of planning and required the support of students, staff and faculty members.

“Everyone on the executive board took the initiative to invest their time toward this event by reaching out to people, publicizing the event, choreographing, getting funds, making the presentation and more,” SACNAS Treasurer Roselyn Tentzohua, a first-year psychology and Chinese double major, said. “Additionally, the dancers volunteered their time in order to give an exciting performance.”

Dr. Laura Luque gives a presentation on the importance of masks in Latinx cultures. (Abby McCutchan/Staff Writer)

The showcase was student-run, involving the participation of individuals across multiple different majors.

Students participated in dances, read original works of poetry and discussed the contributions of significant Hispanic figures within the healthcare field, highlighting the mission of SACNAS to promote diversity within the STEM career path.

The showcase also included segments dedicated to increasing knowledge about Latinx history and society.

Dr. Laura Luque, a biology professor at TCU, gave a lecture on the cultural importance of masks in Latinx societies, bringing artifacts to depict how cultures evolved and changed after the arrival of European conquistadors.

“I put my everything into planning this showcase,” Pinales-Saavedra said. “I looked back on my culture and asked others what important aspects of their culture were. I loved it every step of the way. Through the outcomes and preparations, I learned so much more about different Latino cultures.”

The Latinx Heritage Showcase included visual elements, such as these masks that came from Central and South America. (Abby McCutchan/Staff Writer)

SACNAS President Fabian Lopez, a senior biochemistry major, said he hopes SACNAS will continue to host and grow the showcase after he graduates in the spring.

“I think it’s important to continue to recognize the important figures that came before us so that we can reflect and continue to expand the legacy to younger Hispanic generations,” Valdez said. “We hope to have captured a bit of what the Latinx community brings to TCU through our showcase, and we’re hopeful for what the future holds for this showcase.”