When sophomore Isabella Cruz was 11 years old, she attended Fiesta de la Caza Azul for the first time. There, she felt pure joy and excitement being surrounded by people who were similar to her.

Every year, Cruz and her family attend this celebration where people from around the Bay Area come together and dress up in Frida Kahlo makeup and clothing. Being half Guatemalan and half Nicaraguan, Cruz has found a beautiful  intersection between the two countries by attending festivals which celebrate food, music and culture.

She specifically enjoys events dedicated to Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, an inspirational figure to the Hispanic community. Many of the Kahlo paintings adorning Cruz’s home speak to her, strengthening ties with her heritage and inspiring Cruz to create art herself.

“I had a photoshoot where I dressed up as Frida Kahlo,” she said. “In July, I was able to be a model for another Frida Kahlo look.”

Even though the Gunn community is welcoming of other cultures, Cruz still finds it difficult to find peers with similar cultural backgrounds. Some of them were raised the same way as her and are easy to bond with, but Cruz still
sometimes feels out of place because of specific cultural differences.

“Most of my friends are from Mexico, or they’re Salvadorian so I don’t really know anyone who’s Guatemalan and Nicaraguan,” she said.

Additionally, it is difficult for Cruz to find peers who appreciate Frida Kahlo as much as she does. Most people, she feels, don’t know that Guatemalan and Nicaraguan cultures revolve around art. Cruz models to show the community what her culture is really about.

“That’s why I’ve gotten into modeling because, when people see my photos, I want them to see someone with Mayan and Nicaraguan features,” she said. “It’s very important to me to make sure that (my heritage) and (thebeauty of my culture) is shown in my photos.”

With an explosion of color, the piñata breaks and the festivities begin. Sophomore Santiago Rosales enjoys connecting with his culture through such celebrations, especially since he moved from Mexico to the United States when he was six. Later, he moved to Palo Alto and noticed many cultural differences, such as the absence of bustling corner stores and day-to-day interactions.

“You have to let go of a lot of things, (such as) the culture you experience in Mexico,” he said.  “It’s a big change.

In Mexico, one thing Rosales looked forward to was “Posada,” which is a religious festival full of food, candles and piñatas. People on a street would gather together with an abundance of home-cooked food and hand it out to the less fortunate. The celebration often involves a candle ceremony and a reenactment of the Nativity — the birth of Christ.

“The main thing about the Posada is that a lot of people gather around to help and give to those who don’t really have enough, or who are just struggling,” he said.

To Rosales, food is an integral part of both Posada and other cultural celebrations. The crispy fried chicharrón and flavourful meat filling in tamales are comforts he looks forward to. However, he sees a contrast in people’s familiarity towards the festivals based on how connected they are to their culture.

Despite being in the U.S. for many years, Rosales has always felt in touch with the Spanish language. It has even helped him make friends when he first moved.

“Ever since I moved to the U.S., I’ve been looking for people who speak Spanish,” Rosales said. “I also speak it at home with my dad and mom, so I’ve never really felt like I’m losing the language, because I try to find ways so I don’t forget things.”

Rosales cherishes activities that help him keep in touch with his culture and remind him of his time in Mexico. While it may be difficult, he encourages others to embrace whatever cultural connections come their way.

“Exploring different people’s culture and even just explaining your own, is kind of the biggest thing,” he said.

At the beginning of every September, Gunn’s Safety and Family Specialist Joey Ordonez looks forward to the grand and lively festivities of Mexican Independence Day. Filled with many delicious foods, such as birria tacos and traditional prayers spoken at the start of the celebration, Hispanic Heritage Month is a special time for Ordonez and his family.

“A lot of people usually say (it is) Cinco de Mayo, but the real date for Mexican Independence Day is September 16,” he said. “We (hold) a fiesta, very similar to what we do here for Fourth of July, (and we) get together with family and friends. Usually, a lot of our families get together. We barbecue, hang out and dance to music.”

Since moving to the United States, the celebration has taken on a different form: smaller gatherings in parks or public spaces. Despite the change, the spirit remains the same. Ordonez also carries the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month to Gunn through the Latinos Unidos club, which consists of students from all over Latin America including El Salvador, Guatemala and Belize.

“This year, we’re actually going to do a potluck just for our club,” Ordonez said. “The (students) wear their soccer shirts or their bandanas to show that it’s independence day. We also want to celebrate, not only Mexico, but also that it’s Hispanic (Heritage) month as well.”

Looking to the future, Ordonez envisions Hispanic Heritage Month growing into a major celebration on campus. He aspires to see it gain the same prominence other cultural events have.

“I’m hoping it will look like Oktoberfest,” Ordonez said. “I think we would do a really good job of promoting and organizing the events to celebrate all of our culture from down south.”