Columbia, CA… Columbia College students, families and community members celebrated Latina/Latino culture on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at the campus’s first-ever La Fiesta: Celebrating Comunidad.

The afternoon event, held outdoors at Carkeet Park, welcomed hundreds of attendees who enjoyed music and dance by guest performers from Ballet Folklorico de UC Merced, Ballet Folklorico Anahuac, and Salsa Merced. Columbia College students also presented a Folklorico dance performance. Food dishes from several Latin American countries were served by college staff and students. College students, faculty and community agencies provided family activities and information booths.

“This is an opportunity to provide a space of acknowledgment and appreciation of Latin culture and traditions for our communities. My hope is that our Latina/Latino students, employees and community feel a sense of belonging and welcome at our college. One of my favorite parts of the event was when many came together from all backgrounds on the main stage to dance salsa and celebrate together before ending the event,” said Vanessa Muro-Marai, Columbia’s Counselor-Coordinator for the Extended Opportunity
Programs and Services (EOPS) and Liaison for the Dream Resource Center (DRC) who organized the event.

Columbia College plans to bring back this event next year and continue a tradition of cultural awareness and appreciation. If you are interested in participating next year for this event, please contact the EOPS Department at 209-588-5130 or email at cceops@yosemite.edu

Acknowledgments

Sponsors: Extended Opportunity Programs and Services at Columbia College, Dream Resource Center at Columbia College, and Columbia College Foundation

Photo Credit: Joseph Harrington, Tiffeny Flies, Anneka Rogers-Whitmer