Volume 72 | Issue 1 | October 11, 2024
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LSU celebrates Hispanic heritage BY GRACE BOUDREAU MANAGING EDITOR
On Tuesday evening, Oct. 8, students gathered in Harden Square at California Baptist University for what was expected to be a midsized celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Advertised to run from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the event extended well past its scheduled time as lively music, energetic dancing and vibrant cultural displays kept the party going. Despite the intense heat, attendees showed up and stayed late. Hosted by CBU’s Latino Student Union and coordinated with help from Community Life, the event provided students with a platform to celebrate Latino culture and learn about the various Hispanic countries represented on campus. Tables displaying snacks and information from countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Honduras and Guatemala lined the square, drawing in students eager to sample the flavors and traditions of each region. “Our main goal was to give LSU a platform to not only bring new members into their club but also express what Latin heritage is,” said Natalie Rivas, junior political science major and Community Life activity intern. “I think it really reflects the university’s motto of ‘live your purpose,’ and one of our purposes is to highlight our culture and the importance of being Latina or
Latino.” Rivas emphasized the pride that comes with celebrating heritage, especially for students from Hispanic backgrounds. “Each country has so much significance and culture,” Rivas said. “We take so much pride in that—like, that’s me, that’s my country, that’s my people. As a Latina, you want to find people from the same country with the same ethnic background. That’s just so powerful.” This year’s event featured new additions, including a live band, Clave Dura, and folklórico performers who amazed the crowd. The mix of traditional and modern performances created a celebratory atmosphere that was hard to resist. Rivas reflected on how this year’s event stood out. “There were so many new elements this year, and it was such a blessing and honor to work with LSU,” Rivas said. “This is ultimately their event, and they did a great job making sure everything was in place and representing all the countries really well.” Despite the unusually high temperatures, attendees danced and celebrated. Students swayed to the beat of Clave Dura and watched performances under the warm October sun. Sophomore Abigail Esparza, attending for the first time, was awed by the sense of community and cultural pride on display. “I was planning on coming last year but couldn’t because of class,” Esparza said. “I’m really enjoying it this year.
Seeing everybody just love the culture—I’m Hispanic myself, so watching everyone indulge and have fun outside of my culture is so fun. I love to see it.” Esparza was particularly impressed by the authenticity of the snacks available. “Seeing what kind of food and snacks they were going to have, I was pretty impressed because, being Hispanic myself, these are actually household snacks I have at home,” she said. “It was cool to see them represented here.” The event’s success was due in large part to the extensive planning and collaboration between LSU and Community Life. Annalisa Felix, sophomore pre-radiologic science major and part of the community outreach effort, expressed pride in how the event showcased her culture. “It’s a chance for people to get a little piece of where we’re from and know that this is who we are, and we’re not going to change,” Felix said. Felix also noted the event’s growth over the years. “I think it’s gotten more eye-opening,” she said. “It’s no longer just one ethnicity or race—we’re a diverse college, and this event shows that. You get to learn a piece of someone else’s culture, and it’s nice that Community Life lets us celebrate all these different cultures.” As the sun set, the celebration continued well beyond its scheduled end time, with
SEE HISPANIC FIESTA | PAGE 6
Students enjoying the Hispanic Heritage Fiesta on Oct. 8
Chloe Miller | Banner
Wallace Theatre presents “The Importance of Being Earnest” BY GABI RIGGIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
California Baptist University’s Wallace Theatre is presenting its fall play, “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde, with opening weekend set for Friday, Oct. 11. According to the Wallace Theatre website, the play is set in late 19th-century England and is considered a “comedy of manners,” revolving around two young men, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff. The cast entered tech week on Friday, Oct. 4, just one week before opening night. Despite the challenges of tech week, the production will soon take center stage and captivate its audience. Brooke Maurer, a freshman playing Gwendolen Fairfax, explained that the comedic aspect of the show is something everyone can enjoy. “The audience should be excited to see this show because it will make everyone laugh! There is something in this show for absolutely anyone, as our characters often comment on society in unusual ways, which allow the
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play to have a deeper meaning besides just comedy,” Maurer said. As Wallace Theatre’s first show of the season comes together, the goal for many of the performers and directors is to glorify God and show His love through their work. The theme for this year’s season is “Greatest of Their Time,” and Wallace Theatre will explore this theme throughout the school year, beginning with “The Importance of Being Earnest.” The director, set designer and light designer Lee Lyons, professor of theatre, will be retiring in May of 2025, and “The Importance of Being Earnest” will be his final play as a director and professor of theatre at CBU. “This is my final directorial here because I’m retiring in May. So it’s like a celebration in that.” Lyons said. “I’m very proud of the production.” Lyons’s last production was smooth sailing, as he noticed the students put in their efforts to ensure obstacles were cleared. Lyons expressed his satisfaction of the cast and their hard work.
“The Importance of Being Earnest” cast runs through dress rehearsal before opening night on Oct. 11.
Lindsey Stumpf | Banner
SEE PLAY PREVIEW | PAGE 12
Empowering Voices: HSI
2F302F Housing Market V.S. Grads
New CBU Sports Podcast
Meet the women from the Hispanic Serving Institution who helped coordinate the $3 million grant
. How are CBU graduates dealing with the housing market and prices being so high?
CBU Athletics just launched their very own sports podcast.
News, pg 3
Business & Technology, pg 10
Sports, pg 14