The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the way people will gather and interact for the foreseeable future. The Center for Diversity and Inclusion and DREAM Resource Center’s People Series aims to create a space of virtual gathering and discussion.
Program Director Aaron Hinojosa said that the current series focuses on Hispanic and Latinx culture.
“One of our goals was to feature people or like I said cultures that are in line with Hispanic Heritage Month,” Hinojosa said. “Our first people series was just last week and really it was designed to talk about or for people to share what they learned and what they know about the terms Hispanic, Latino, Latina, Latinx.”
Hinojosa said that students or community members interested in attending should know that the event is not a seminar or lecture but a space of casual conversation.
“It’s not a lecture, it’s not a presentation,” he said. “It really is that it’s just a come and hang out and share what you know or learn something else. Apply what you’re learning to your own lived experience.”
The next series will start at 11 a.m. Tuesday via Zoom and will focus on the MUXE culture of Oaxaca.
Graduate assistant Fernanda Flores said students shouldn’t expect to become “super pro” but just to attend and have fun.
“I see it more as a time to have fun, enjoy, to have a space, to just be ourselves and share what we know,” Flores said.
Environmental Sciences sophomore Alonso Ponce said the meetings help him have a sense of community with the university.
“I may actually see the people in these sessions you know in real life because you connect with them,” he said, “and even though we’re all in our homes at different places around the Rio Grande Valley we do connect.”
Hinojosa plans to create more People Series sessions for the Spring semester.
For more information about attending future sessions, visit The Center for Diversity and Inclusion’s VLink page.
FOR VAQUERO NEWS, I’M JUSTIN ELIZALDE.
