From flag painting and tacos to a Bachata dance lesson, Wofford OLAS is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month through events that capture the joy of identifying as Hispanic and Latinx.
This year, Hispanic Heritage Month takes place from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. These dates represent the time frame that many Latin American countries celebrate their independence. Wofford OLAS is bringing many of the traditions and excitements that come with being Latino at this time to Wofford.
Leslie Vargas ‘24 serves as OLAS President and hopes that by having a Latinx organization on campus, more people will feel heard.
“OLAS is an organization that aims to create a safe space for those who identify themselves as Latino and are searching for a community where they feel heard and understood,” Vargas said. “This year, we are working very hard to become an organization that welcomes allies, and those interested in our culture, and language.”
Vargas herself was born in Hidalgo, Mexico, and hopes that OLAS will continue to grow on campus so that more people of similar backgrounds can feel their culture celebrated at a predominantly white institution. The organization has seen significant growth in the past year with its member size expanding from 15 to 65.
“The amount of support we have been receiving this year is beyond what we initially were expecting. In the past, our organization was very niche and didn’t receive much recognition,” Vargas said. “We are hoping for the growth of OLAS to be both in and out of campus and into the Spartanburg community. I have been a member of OLAS since my freshman year of college and have been looking forward to accepting a position on the (executive) board.”
For Hispanic Heritage Month, OLAS has five events spread throughout the month. The events include a painting-your-own-flag night, a Loteria game night, tacos at the AMS house, a Bachata lesson with members of the Wofford dance club and a final celebration concluding the festivities. In addition to the on-campus events, OLAS also promotes small businesses around Spartanburg to support during Hispanic Heritage Month.
“The current OLAS exec is hoping to host on-campus events for the Fall Semester, this includes our closing celebration for (Hispanic Heritage Month) that will take place at the AMS House on Oct. 13,” Vargas said. “For the spring semester, we hope to host fundraisers to give back to the Latinx Spartanburg community and host Networking events for our members where we can connect them with other Latinx Wofford alumni.”
Their Instagram, @olaswoco, highlights many of the events that the organization holds on campus as well as things happening in the world that Wofford students should be aware of. Vargas hopes to see OLAS experience even more growth and for Hispanic culture to be represented at Wofford.
“The Wofford community is quickly evolving and prides itself in its ability to create students that positively impact global society,” said Vargas. “To accomplish that, it is important to become immersed and learn about other cultures apart from your own. Hispanic Heritage Month is a perfect opportunity to take incentive. OLAS has been working extremely hard to host events where you can come learn about all aspects of Hispanic culture while fostering an accepting environment for all.”
