Since 2022, Comunidad y Herencia Cultural has brought celebration, culture and community in one room at Guy Lee Elementary School.

The nonprofit, serving the Latino community, hosted its annual Día del Niño event Friday April 24.

Día del Niño is a celebration held every April 30, honoring children and childhood across the world. Family and children are highly valued in Mexican and Latino culture, which is reflected in the significance of the holiday, but also evident at Friday’s celebration. 

Over 32 booths were at the event, offering family resources and activities for children. One of those booths was Escudo Latino, a local nonprofit that helps connect the Latinx community to information and resources.

“Today, I brought a parent support group that we have, which is [The] Family Check-Up under the University of Oregon,” Mariela German-Hernandez, director of Escudo Latino, says.

“That’s a collaboration work that we’re doing and it’s really important that I’m connecting the Latino community to all of these resources that are out there and that are beneficial for parents raising children here in the United States.” 

Children had the opportunity to learn about Mexican and Latino American cultures through a leather wallet-making booth, a prize table filled with Mexican toys and by eating tamales, a traditional dish made of corn dough and filled with chicken or pork.

Emily Timoshevskiy, a mother of two and president of Guy Lee’s Parent Teacher Organization, says bringing Mexican and Latino culture to the school is important for the community.

“We have a really rich and true community here at Guy Lee, and so everyone here is welcomed and even here is family,” Timoshevskiy says. “So, to bring in this and celebrate the different cultures of our community, I think it makes our Guy Lee family and Guy Lee community much more rich.” 

Traditional dances, like folklórico, and mariachi, a Mexican music genre, were also part of the celebration — each performed by children and young adults.

Springfield High School’s Mariachi del Sol were among the numerous performers.

Jessie De La Cruz and Mateo Martinez Salinas, two members of Mariachi del Sol, both say it felt good to have the chance to share their Latino culture to the community. 

“It’s amazing because for people to know where we come from, what our culture really is, instead of assuming based off stereotypes, is amazing,” Martinez Salinas says. 

De La Cruz adds, “I say, it’s really cool because, especially nowadays of what’s going on, it gives them a sense of freedom and happiness. I’m happy that I get to share what I like to do and see other people’s reaction to it.” 

Antonio Huerta, director of Comunidad y Herencia Cultural, says Día del Niño is a great opportunity to bring representation and culture to schools.

“One of the greatest values of having something like this at a school is, one, for Latino students to feel represented in culture, in language, feel represented, acknowledged and celebrated, and for non-Latino students to learn about this important day for Mexico and Latino America,” Huerta says.

Add info on where folks can learn more about some of the groups mentioned in the story.

To learn more about Comunidad y Herenica Cultural go to NocheCultural.com. Find more information on Mariachi del Sol at the Springfield High School’s website.