Dance was one way participants celebrated at USC’s Latinx/e Heritage Month closing event. (USC Photo)
Latinx/e Heritage Month closing celebration brings music, dance, food and art to Noche de Cultura
At the Latinx/e Heritage Month closing event, Trojans enjoy thoughtful speeches honoring history and celebrating strength.
With a theme of “Honoring our history, celebrating our strength,” USC’s annual Latinx/e Heritage Month celebration, known as Noche de Cultura, drew a crowd of more than 650 people on Wednesday.
The afternoon event at Founder’s Park on USC’s University Park Campus featured Mexican food, music from Mariachi Los Troyanos de USC and dance performances by Grupo Folklórico de USC. Attendees also enjoyed a performance by USC Thornton School of Music student Nikki Rodrigues, who sang several songs in Portuguese.
Featured speakers for the celebration included Trojan women’s soccer star Maribel Flores, a USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism student, and Andrew T. Guzman, USC provost and senior vice president for academic cffairs.
Latinx/e Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
It began as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 with a proclamation signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson; in 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded the celebration to a month, through Oct. 15.
