The University of Idaho Argonaut

Hispanic Heritage Month is underway and according to Victor Mazo, a University of Idaho junior and a Mexican American, the time of celebration is also one of reflection for Hispanics.
“We’re all grouped together in some way, we deal with labels,” Mazo said.

Mazo is the vice president and founder of Latin fraternity Lambda Theta Phi. Hispanic Heritage Month lasts through Oct. 15 and Mazo said he looks forward to a time when it’s as celebrated on campus as other ethnic months.
“We all know that African American Month as well as Native American Month are highly recognized and celebrated here,” Mazo said. “We want that kind of recognition for Hispanic Heritage Month … Dates within this time frame mark Independence days of many Hispanic and Latin American countries.”

Day of the Dead or Dia De Los Muertos is Nov. 1-2. It is a Mexican tradition respecting dead loved ones. ASUI recognizes it as a national holiday.
“We need to think about raising awareness of the importance in recognizing that there are so many people from so many different cultures,” said Ruthanne Orihuela, a Spanish teacher. “It is also important to break down the concept of being ‘Hispanic’ with an open mind.”

Orihuela said her husband is from Mexico and chose Moscow for the diversity of the population.
“There is no division along racial lines,” she said. “I brought him here so he could have an experience without racism.”
Mazo is working with the International Programs Office to establish events for next year.
Mazo is involved with passing a bill through ASUI Senate that he said could positively affect the ASUI  Senate.

“We are trying to get a bill passed to start up a Hispanic Education department. We want the Hispanic culture to be recognized.”
Mazo said he wants to spread an idea of a united group within all the different cultures.
“Whatever our demographic has been taught to be, we want our demographic to know what it means to be,” he said.

Mazo and his fraternity will host an event that he hopes will encourage unity within the student body today. He said he is encouraging students to have an open discussion in the Idaho Commons Food Court between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m.
“It is all about myth-busting the stereotypes Greek life gets,” Mazo said. “Come in and talk about what stereotypes you had that have been broken down.”

Mazo and his fraternity are also trying to get Augustine Garcia, one of the founding fathers of their fraternity, to come and speak.
 “He gives a lecture about what he calls, ‘Latinization,’” Mazo said. “If we had more time and more resources, we could have already brought him here when he went to California and Florida. He is all about pushing Hispanic awareness.”

There will be “Sugar Skull Making Workshops” today at 9:30 a.m. in ED 311. At 2 p.m. Oct. 10 and at 5 p.m. Oct. 20 in the Student Diversity Center the skull sculpting will continue. The skull art will then be auctioned and raffled off for Children’s Literacy Oct. 28-31 at the Prichard Art Gallery. The proceeds will go to First Book recipient groups in Latah and Benewah County.

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