PHOTO | Rodrick Jackson
Hasta La Raiz, an annual fashion show the Latinx Student Organization hosts, is one of the primary attractions during the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month on campus.
On Oct. 13, This year was the second year for Lesly Mendez, the president of the Latinx Student Organization, to serve as a host.
“Hasta La Raiz showcases the different traditional attire many Latin America countries have,” Mendez said.
In addition to celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, the fashion show is also a way to educate others about Latin American culture.
Mendez has enjoyed hosting the fashion show for the second year. “It has been great. I love seeing everyone enjoy the show and seeing how our members also enjoy their moments. It makes me happy to see others happy and live in their moment,” she said.
According to Mendez, all the work behind the scenes is not without its challenges but is also rewarding.
“It is stressful planning and putting everything together, but at the end of the day, all the hard work pays off.”
The fashion show also offered a special treat.
“The event’s highlight to me was seeing the quinceañera [dresses]. It means a lot to see people dress up and how happy they were just because some people didn’t have a quinceañera. They also had a small dance of what it looks like during a quinceañera, so showcasing that was a highlight for me,” Mendez said.
According to Mendez, planning for the event took about a month and a half.
“The process of preparing for this event was hectic. We wanted to showcase different things and be more prepared than last year. Unfortunately, this year we didn’t have a stage, and we had to quickly improvise on what our stage would look like the day of. Also, getting people to participate and model is one of our challenges just because some people either work or have class during those times,” she said.
Despite the confusion, Mendez decided to add a traditional dance into the mix.
“After all the confusion, this year we incorporated ‘Danza,’ which is an ancient ancestral Aztec dance. The dances were performed to celebrate seasonal changes and festivals,” Mendez said.
The organization’s upcoming events include movie nights, donation drives, Latinx dance nights, and food fundraisers. Mendez said she encourages students and faculty to attend these events.
