Fresno State’s Latino Faculty and Staff Association (LFSA) held its annual event La Bienvenida, on Sept. 18 at the Satellite Student Union (SSU).
The event featured keynote speakers, performances, a resource fair and free food for students, faculty and families.
For Alan Herrera, psychology major and guitarrón player for Mariachi Orgullo De Fresno State, the event was not only about fun and entertainment but also about celebrating Hispanic culture and community on campus.
“It is really, really exciting to have this idea of being able to express everything about my culture and this is almost like, my appreciation of it as well,” Herrera said.
Herrera has attended the event many times, but this is his first and last time as a performer, as he hopes to graduate in the spring.
After a performance by Banda La Afirmativa, President of LFSA, Jose Eduardo Mundo, thanked many organizations, sponsors and volunteers on and off campus that made the event possible.
“Thank you for your commitment to giving back to the Fresno State community and being a part of this event today,” Mundo said. “As we welcome you to Fresno State, we are reminded that an educational journey is made easier when done with community and support.”
Other keynote speakers included Fresno State’s university diversity officer Rashanda Booker and Associated Students, Inc. President Faith Van Hoven, who echoed Mundo’s statements.
Also in attendance was university President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval who wandered around the resource fair, greeting and taking pictures with nearly every club and organization present as music blared throughout the SSU.
The music, specifically Banda La Afirmativa, proved to be a hit. Some attendees formed a dance circle during the30 minute set.
Kristen Solmantil, a pre-health major, said it was her favorite part of the event because it is not something she sees often given her Filipino roots.
“It was nice because they played a banda,” Solmantil said. “This is my third time hearing a banda before. And it’s really cool and really loud but I like it. I like how even people at the booths, they were like mesmerized and looking at the banda too. And I like how everybody seems like super tight knit and are excited to be with each other and learn more about the culture.”
Solmantil heard about the event from her chemistry classmate Cynthia Ramirez, who is a pre-health major as well. Both decided to attend mainly for the free food, but also for the experience.
“It’s just like, really important for students to get more involved and feel represented, especially since a lot of the campus is mostly Hispanic,” Ramirez said. “So it’s nice to see parts of their cultures here.”
At the end of the event when the music died out and the tacos and paletas were all gone, Samuel Contreras, faculty vice president of the LFSA said this year’s La Bienvenida was a success.
He stressed his gratitude and appreciation towards the Fresno State community for helping out and showing up.
“This event, I think, just does that right, in which you encounter classmates, coworkers, administration right, and you’re able to talk to them,” Contreras said. “And once again, just have that sense of community, right, that we do have each other’s backs. Sometimes, you know, we don’t really see each other, but I think this is a perfect excuse, right? And of course, to celebrate the culture and let the campus know that we are here.”
In addition to La Bienvenida, the LFSA hosts a variety of other events on campus including “Pláticas” which Contreras says is a space where students and faculty can talk about issues affecting the Latino community, and hear from professionals in administration and more.
