Hola,
Mi nombre es Alexis Meza (him, his, el) and I am the Graduate Student Assistant for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Belonging at NYU Steinhardt. September 15 officially kicked off Latinx Heritage Month, and this month-long celebration honors the cultures and contributions of people from and/or of Latin American descent. Of course, many are New York-born and raised, such as Sonia Sotomayor, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Sylvia Rivera, and a large number of artists that give life to our office.
Not only is September the start of Latinx Heritage Month, but personally it was the start of mi camino [my journey] here at NYU for my Masters Degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs. I am not only the first in my family to reach this milestone of obtaining a graduate degree, but also the first to venture out into the world and seek opportunities that my two Mexican-immigrant parents dreamed of. Being a Chicano-identifying scholar, I've navigated different systems knowing that I am a cultivation of the efforts of many people - that every fabric of my existence is a product of mi cultura [my culture] and mi gente [my people]. I carry many identities with me alongside being a graduate student. I am an artist who intersects cultural identity into empowerment and celebration. The image above is an art piece of my mother, Ilda Meza, who has nurtured my existence since my early years in education. I honor her and all the ancestors who have nurtured the seeds that became roses that bloomed from concrete.
We celebrate Latinx Heritage Month not only by being grateful for the innumerable contributions of our Latinx communities, but by making a commitment to stand up for the rights, humanity, and liberation of people across the Latinx diaspora. For example, politicians in states such as Texas, Arizona, and Florida have exploited Title 42, a federal law that was enacted during the pandemic to block individuals seeking asylum from entering the US, to deny entry into the US, as well as sending many Latinx people to states such as New York and Massachusetts to make a political statement. We honor Latinx heritage by learning more about this violation of human rights and the resources that NYC provides, and by supporting organizations such as the South Bronx Mutual Aid that are doing the good work.
Across Latin America and the Caribbean, places such as Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are in dire need of aid and support after the destruction of Hurricane Fiona while simultaneously still facing the aftereffects of Hurricane Maria five years ago. Millions of people on the island are without power and without running water. It has been said that these natural disasters have increased in intensity due to the emergency of climate change, which has disproportionately affected communities across the Caribbean. View a growing list of organizations that are providing aid.
Our struggle is not singular, it is interconnected. It is important to uplift and bring awareness to our stories while simultaneously celebrating our accomplishments . Although many systems and institutions were not created with us in mind, we continue to carve caminos [pathways] while advocating and uplifting our community in the process.
Continue advocating, loving and surviving, as you have been doing, in the name of the struggle, in the name of community, in the name of the collective and in honor of our ancestors that came before us.
And as my friend would always say, “Walk as if you have 3,000 ancestors walking alongside you, because you do.”
Happy Latinx Heritage Month. La Resistencia Sigue [The Resistance Continues].
-From Alexis and crew in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging