Written By: Sophia Maldonado

Each year, from September 15th to October 15th, people around the world celebrate Latine Heritage month. This month of celebration gives schools across the country the opportunity to honor cultures, histories, and contributions of Hispanic and Latinos. Here at Rye Country Day School, this celebration goes beyond decorations or announcements; it creates spaces for education, connection, and pride in identity. 

Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Mr. Rivera explained that the heart of celebration begins with listening to the community. He said, “One of the things that’s important is to be really reflective of who is in the community. For me, one of the biggest things is to be responsive to what the students want.” That has certainly been true this year. Through the joint efforts of the HLCC (Hispanic Latine Culture Club) and other students here at Rye, RCDS has found meaningful ways to celebrate Latine cultures. For example, on the first floor hallway, you could find papel picado – the colorful banners hanging on the walls –, and on the second floor hallway a bulletin board where students could pin what country they are from. 

According to Mr. Rivera, responsiveness and collaboration are key in making these celebrations meaningful. He noted, “[Raising awareness] is more than just one moment, even if it feels like only one thing is happening. It’s really important to try and be as multifaceted as we can.” The DEI Office aims to combine educational programming with interactive events, such as the trivia challenge during advisory and the student-designed map displaying community heritage. Despite these efforts, Mr. Rivera acknowledged that time and resources can sometimes be limited. With Latine Heritage month beginning near the start of school, it becomes harder to plan and schedule events. Still, Mr. Rivera hopes that through ongoing events such as community forums, celebrations will continue to evolve.

Student clubs at RCDS also play a significant role in these celebrations. Camila Reyna ‘27, one of the leaders of the HLCC, shared how her club helps bring Latine Heritage Month to life. “[HLCC] has been doing different activities for Hispanic Heritage Month,” Reyna said. “We helped organize the community forum presentation and made a post celebrating two important Hispanic figures. We also created the pin board in the second-floor hallway where students can pin the country that they’re from and sign their name.” Reyna highlighted the importance of representation in how the month is recognized. “It’s interesting how they say ‘Latine’ Heritage month”, she noted. “Normally, it’s ‘Hispanic Heritage month’, but saying ‘Latine’ helps include Brazil and other countries that maybe wouldn’t have their own Heritage Month.”

Reflecting on past events, Reyna recalled moments that made a strong impact on the community. “One was last year in our first SOC (now called Empower) meeting—we had Spanish music and played dominos and bingo. That was fun,” she said. Beyond Latine Heritage Month, the HLCC plans to continue celebrating throughout the year, such as when they organized the pulsera sale last year. When asked how other students can get involved, Reyna’s answer was simple: everyone is welcome. If you have an idea, or if you’re from a country and you feel like you want to share your culture, the HLCC is definitely a space for that.

As RCDS continues to grow in celebration of Hispanic and Latine culture, both Rivera and Reyna agree that collaboration and community involvement are what make these efforts meaningful. It’s not only about recognizing heritage—it is about creating an environment where every voice and background can be celebrated.