October 16th was the IH Latinas Unidas festival for Hispanic Heritage Month!  Hispanic
Heritage Month recognizes the achievements and contributions of the Hispanic community and
how hard its members have worked to get where they are today.

The theme of the festival was “Mi Casa es Tu Casa,” a saying you have probably heard at some
point. But what does it really mean? Sure, it’s saying to make yourself at home and to welcome
guests with open arms. But to the Hispanic community, it is sharing our culture and treating
everyone like family. Through presentations, the festival discussed what brings the Hispanic
community together, including our love for soccer, our traditions like quinceañeras, and of
course, our food!

Though some of my family members do not like to watch soccer and some prefer a smaller
celebration for their 15th birthday, the one thing we all like that brings us together is my Tia
Alma’s yummy tamales and my grandma’s famous pozole! My family also loves to have parties!
Whether it’s for birthdays or holidays, my grandma is always up for hosting a party that lasts
until 2 a.m. and where everyone dances, eats, and connects with primas, tias, and even family
friends we don’t see often.

The way everyone celebrates their Hispanic heritage is different though, which is why I decided
to interview freshman Alondra Cardona to learn how she celebrates her culture.

The Bamboo: Where are you from?
Cardona: “I am from Guatemala.”
The Bamboo: What traditions from your culture mean the most to you?
Cardona: “A tradition that means the most to me is Semana Santa (Holy Week) because there
are religious processions and street carpets made of colored sawdust, fruits, and flowers. I enjoy
watching the processions and helping my grandma make the carpets.”
The Bamboo: What was your favorite part of the Latinas Unidas festival?
Cardona: “My favorite part of the festival was the food because it represented many different
cultures and it all tasted amazing.”
The Bamboo: What is something you learned from your parents or grandparents about
your heritage?
Cardona: “They taught me to embrace my culture and continue with our traditions.”
The Bamboo: How does your culture influence the way you celebrate birthdays, weddings,
or other milestones?
Cardona: “My culture influences the way I celebrate any milestone by cooking traditional foods,
breaking the pinata, and La Mordida. La Mordida is a custom where the birthday person takes a

bite out of the birthday cake without using their hands while friends and family push their face
into the frosting!”

Photo credits to Ms Fendrich