Both the St. Thomas and broader St. Paul communities celebrated Cinco de Mayo this weekend. Find out how the state’s largest Hispanic gathering is bouncing back from Operation Metro Surge in the video above, and learn how UST students are striving to create inclusion on campus in the story below.
HOLA welcomes everyone to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on campus through food, music
A line filled with students smiling and dancing wrapped around the corners of John P. Monahan Plaza in celebration of Cinco de Mayo Friday afternoon. Hispanic music blasted loud enough to fill the quad while attendees chatted over street tacos from a local food truck.
HOLA club hosted the event, as they traditionally have since around 2019, according to co-president Keven Sanchez.
“We really wanted to do something bigger than our usual events, especially supporting smaller businesses with everything with ICE. We wanted to bring it on campus to show other students,” HOLA co-president Isis Portillo said.
Though Cinco de Mayo originated as a Mexican-specific celebration, HOLA students said they highlight inclusion for everyone in their events.
“It’s a really nice feeling to be able to bring everyone together and to let even people who don’t know about our culture experience it,” event coordinator and second-year student Kenia Rivera Mendoza said.
Sanchez said that bringing different cultures to light on campus helps other students broaden their viewpoints.
“I see it as a different way to spread our culture so that it can grab more people’s attention … It keeps people having an opportunity to interact and learn more,” Sanchez said.
Crystal Garcia, a first-year student involved with the club, said seeing folks of different ethnicities celebrating together created a welcoming feeling.
“What the main goal is for this club is to build a community for everyone, not just for Latinos but for the community,” Garcia said. “… The importance is not just having it on one specific culture, but for bringing people together of diverse backgrounds in one place.”
Portillo said she believes HOLA needs to stand out more to make sure everyone can hear its message.
“We should push more out there, be seen more, make sure students feel seen,” Portillo said.
Kevin Lynch can be reached at lync1832@stthomas.edu.
Angeline Patrick Pacheco can be reached at patr3972@stthomas.edu.
