At the fifth annual Latino Graduation celebration on Tuesday recognized graduating students and those graduating at the top of their class. Achievements were celebrated and recognized in a truly unique and cultural perspective.
The free speech area was flooded with the sound of laughter and family; it was rich with the colors of red, green, and white.
Pedro Lango, the Chair of the Latino Graduation Celebration said this celebration does not take away from the regular graduation. It was founded after Lango returned from retirement. He said it’s a chance to celebrate the diversity of the Fresno City College campus.
One of the things he wished to add was a bit of Spanish, which was missing from the main graduation.
Lango said, “It’s hard to translate words from Spanish to English. You just lose its affection.” He added that didn’t have this individual look at the different diversity throughout the campus, the culture itself could get lost.
FCC did not let that happen. Dean of Student services Robert Fox said, “This is an indication of who we are and the respect we have for one another’s culture.”
Everything was rich with culture; everything seemed to blend. From the beating drum of the Aztec dancers called Yoztaltepetl to the Mexican food, the language, and a fresh cup of ‘Orchata,’a Mexican rice drink, everything became part of a unique cultural immersion.The real highlight of the event was the fact that the students were able to say something to their families.One family member of graduate Jose Manuel Vargas had this to say, “We are very proud of him. He is our baby brother.” Another family member added, “He’s served four years in Iraq. So this is a big accomplishment. He’s not only our hero, he’s our country’s hero.”The Aztec dancers stomped and danced in front of the families and friends of the graduates, when it came time for them to walk before them and thank their families for their support there was nothing but smiles.Family member of Latino graduate Rebecca Balderas said, “We’re very proud of her accomplishments, now it’s on to Fresno State.” And Balderas added herself, “I feel good. It’s a big stepping stone to my future.”
Pedro Lango also said, “By doing this we keep the culture alive. Education is very important in our culture.
“By having this event for the students, we bring entire families to what we call a ‘Jamaica’ or celebration,” he said.
Everything from the music, dance, and food reflected some area of Latino culture.There is nothing divisive in it at all. It’s about showcasing all the passion and hard work the Latino students put into graduating.
The dancing and color and taste of the food properly displayed the uniqueness of the Latino culture to a foreign perspective. But what the event really boiled down to was just a time to celebrate family.
