History Professor Walter Fernandez held a lecture in the Teleconference Center to enlighten students on the history of various Latin independence days celebrated all across Latin America during September.
All throughout September, Brazil, Chiapas, Guatemala, San Salvador, Honduras, Province of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Chile and Belize will be celebrating their independence.
Even Puerto Rico will be celebrating the day of its attempted independence.
Fernandez teaches various history classes on campus that range from U.S. (up to 1877), California, Mexican and Latin American — he has held this lecture every year for several years.
He wanted to enrich students’ knowledge by informing them about the histories of these various holidays, especially students who may have parents who came from these nations.
He also hopes that all students will gain a new appreciation for history and that they will even have enough curiosity to explore the subject more on their own.
The professor feels that the lectures are very important because it may be the only time students actually get to learn all that went on in order to create these independence dates, especially because public schools often don’t teach about them.
The lecture was full of information about the revolutions and the people who inspired them to begin with or fought in them.
Students gained a deeper understanding why a certain countries’ independence days may be celebrated on a certain date and some traditions performed on those days were explained, like, like Mexico’s “El Grito.”
Professor Fernandez believes that the lecture was quite successful. The entire lecture room was filled up with students, some were even standing at the back of the room to listen.
The students who were asked how they felt about the lecture said they found it enjoyable and informational.
Luis Guzman, history major, said that he attended the lecture to support Professor Fernandez.
He said this is not his first time attending the lecture.
“It’s refreshing to hear the history of Mexico,” said Guzman.
Eric Magana, undecided major, said that he attended the lecture because his counselor Gustavo Romero wanted him to “indulge in it.”
He found the lecture to be informative, a bit overwhelming, but interesting overall.
Magana said that what had made the lecture interesting was how animated Fernandez had been while giving it — his hand gestures and the way he talked captured his attention.
Delfina Aguilera, science major, also attended the lecture because it was recommended to her counselor by Mr. Romero.
In the end, she found the lecture very informational and she felt that it was vital to her culture.
She said that she got to learn more about her heritage and that the lecture was pretty cool overall.
Sept. 7 is Brazil’s Independence Day; Central American countries will celebrate on the 15th, Mexico celebrates on the 16th, Chile on the 9th and Belize on the 21st.
Puerto Rico will celebrate their attempted independence on September 23rd.
