The Intercultural and Diversity Center's Latino Bazaar brought Latin America to UB with cultural festivities that took place in the Student Union this past Wednesday.
The bazaar allowed students of all ethnicities to experience the Latino culture firsthand. Eager students crowded the lobby where salsa dancing, food tasting and cultural craft activities were offered.
The event is the beginning of an annual series of cultural bazaars. The Latino Bazaar follows Hispanic Heritage Month, according to Naomi Pabon-Figueroa, a graduate assistant at the Intercultural and Diversity Center.
"The bazaars are mainly cultural celebrations...for people to learn about the culture and to find which opportunities are available to them," she said.
According to Pabon-Figueroa, many clubs, programs, Greek organizations and vendors are invited to participate in these bazaars specific to either the bazaar or the theme.
This year's theme was "Latino Empowerment," according to Rafael Rodriguez, the 2007 Latino Bazaar Coordinator.
"We are focusing on empowering the Latino community with music, dance, food, artifacts and aspects of our history - and also highlighting members of the Latino community who have made a difference, like Che Guevara," Rodriguez said.
Commemorative posters of important Latino figures - including Cesar Chavez, Sandra Cisneros and Ellen Ochoa - were presented on stands throughout the bazaar.
Organizations such as the McNair Scholars Program and the Golden Key International Honour Society set up booths at the event to provide an opportunity for Latino students and others with interest to receive information about specific programs.
The Center for Student Leadership and Community Engagement provided voter registration forms in an effort to encourage Latino students to register to vote.
Lenore Bethel, associate curator of El Museo, an art museum that supports Latino artists and artists of color in Buffalo, was invited to share information about the not-for-profit visual arts gallery.
"We are here just to let people know and that we are available to the community. A lot of the events are free," Bethel said.
Special guest Devin "The Poet" treated people who attended to a slam poetry session.
"I gave a lot of the control to the students this year, and they decided that they wanted people to attend a certain number of activities instead of just getting food and leaving," Rodriguez said.
According to Marilys Colon, a member of the planning committee for the Latino Bazaar, the requirement for the "passport" to food was incorporated because the committee wanted students to acquire knowledge through participation rather than simply rushing to the food.
"We want to give students this free food but we want people to learn something while they are doing it," Colon said. "The idea of a passport is that you have to attend two stations and then fill out an evaluation and then you get free food."
Local authentic Latino restaurants, Papi's Family Restaurant and Gramma Mora's Mexican Restaurant, catered the food for the event. The Latino dishes served included sweet plantains, chincharon and pernii, among other food staples of the region.
Some students came to this event already knowing what to expect and looking forward to the familiar atmosphere of Latino culture.
"For me, this event was like going back into my culture. It is great to come here and get a taste of whatever you had in your country," said Jose Rivera, graduate student studying chemistry.
Others attended the bazaar to experience something different. Mark Glasgow, a junior biotechnology major, said he enjoyed the atmosphere and food.
"The food was really good. It gave me a chance to experience a different culture and different flavors," Glasgow said. "I enjoyed the good music - it is a change from walking through here and hearing loud rap music. It's good to hear more cultural music sometimes."
Luz Rivera, a member of the Latin American Student Association's executive board, said the club participated because it was a good way to express pride and love for their culture.
"The Latin American SA is here because it is our culture and we are an international club. It is a good way to show our pride and teach people the Latino culture. This is what the Latino Bazaar is about," Rivera said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
