Hispanic Heritage Month means a lot to me. Being from somewhere else means you carry your history
with you. You wear it in your face, in your dress, in your language, in your food, in your music, books, art
and all that you are. I moved to New York from Puerto Rico when I was 17 years old. I did not know how
much I would carry with me beyond the luggage. I did not comprehend what that journey meant to me,
and to others like me. I had no real understanding of what I was leaving behind. A country that has
endured so much; the immense pride felt by its inhabitants, the heartache of those that leave it behind.
Once you share in that love, you become ‘familia’.
Those that leave Puerto Rico keep that culture and those rich traditions alive anywhere they go. And the
intense love for the ‘patria’, they left behind is often instilled in the next generation. Just as I have tried
to pass down my love for my homeland to my own child.
This is my story. My history. It is likely similar to others that have settled in the United States from the
dozens of Latin American countries included in Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations. Countries with
unique traditions, sounds, histories and folklore passed from generation to generation. People that live
here among us with their own struggles, and their own reasons for leaving their home behind hoping to
be able to provide a better life for their children.
Why must we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? Because we are a testament of strength and
resilience in spite of the pressure to erase us. Keeping our culture alive wherever we go is an act of
resistance. Because our differences are beautiful and should not be hidden. There is space for us here.
Our children see the celebration of all people, all journeys, and all histories and they in turn infuse their
sense of selves with pride.
Latinx people have been here for generations. Movement is life, it is as natural as breathing. We have
existed since before the lines were drawn on a map separating us. We too built this country and we
fought for it too.
Let’s celebrate and learn from each other! Hispanic Heritage Month’s Opening Ceremony at Stony Brook
University is taking place on Wednesday, October 1 st , 2025 at the Student Activity Center Plaza.
Seawolves celebrate HHM throughout the month of October (nationally it is celebrated from September
15 th through October 15 th to commemorate many of the countries in Latin America that gained
independence during this time). I encourage you to look at upcoming events and join the celebration!
About Hispanic Heritage Month
About Hispanic Heritage Month at Stony Brook
Look for more events celebrating Hispanic Heritage at SB Engaged
In solidarity,
Odalis Hernandez
Professional Delegate & Diversity Officer
UUP Stony Brook University, West Campus Chapter