GCC Hosts Latinx Heritage Fair – elvaq.com

Report on the Glendale Community College Latinx Heritage Fair

Event Overview and Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

In early October, the Cultural Diversity Division of Glendale Community College (GCC) held a Latinx Heritage Fair in the Vaquero Plaza. The event was designed to celebrate the diverse cultures of Latin America and served as a practical implementation of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By fostering an environment of learning, inclusion, and community, the fair directly supported goals related to quality education, reduced inequalities, and the development of peaceful and inclusive societies.

Alignment with Key Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 4: Quality Education

The fair provided an inclusive and equitable learning opportunity outside the traditional classroom, directly contributing to SDG 4. The event was structured to ensure all participants engaged in educational activities.

• An interactive “passport” system required students to visit presentations on at least three Latin American countries.
• Participants were tasked with learning and recording a specific characteristic from each country, promoting active engagement and knowledge retention about cultural heritage.

This initiative exemplifies a commitment to lifelong learning opportunities that promote cultural understanding and diversity.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

By spotlighting Latinx culture, the event actively worked towards SDG 10, which aims to reduce inequality by promoting the social and cultural inclusion of all. The fair provided a platform for representation and recognition.

• Isabella Verdia, Vice President of Activities in ASGCC, noted the importance of showing up to cultural events to reflect the college’s diverse student population.
• Student Lionel Aisuan commented that such events demonstrate that the college “care[s] about everyone,” fostering a sense of equity and belonging.
• Cultural Diversity Coordinator Carla Ruiz emphasized that the goal is to find similarities and build bridges, thereby reducing social barriers between different cultural groups.

SDG 11 & SDG 16: Sustainable Communities and Strong Institutions

The fair contributed to making the college a more inclusive and sustainable community (SDG 11) and promoted the values of a peaceful and inclusive institution (SDG 16). The event strengthened the social fabric of the campus by:

1. Safeguarding Cultural Heritage: The celebration of food, music, and national histories preserves and promotes cultural heritage within the community.
2. Fostering Community Cohesion: The gathering of students and faculty in a shared celebration created a positive and unified environment.
3. Building an Inclusive Institution: GCC’s history of hosting similar events, such as an Asian night market, demonstrates a sustained institutional commitment to celebrating all cultures and building a strong, inclusive campus for all.

Event Components and Activities

The fair featured a variety of components designed to engage and educate attendees:

• Cultural Presentations: Tents and stands were dedicated to showcasing the heritage of various Latin American countries.
• Culinary Showcase: A selection of traditional foods was offered, including Yucca Frita, empanadas, sopas, flautas, and churros.
• Live Entertainment: A live Latin band performed, enhancing the celebratory and inclusive atmosphere of the event.

Conclusion

The Glendale Community College Latinx Heritage Fair serves as a model for how educational institutions can advance the Sustainable Development Goals at a local level. By integrating education with cultural celebration, the event successfully promoted quality education (SDG 4), reduced inequalities through representation (SDG 10), and helped build a more sustainable and inclusive community (SDG 11) and institution (SDG 16). Such initiatives are fundamental to fostering a campus environment where diversity is valued and all students feel a sense of belonging.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article highlights an educational initiative, the Latinx Heritage Fair, hosted by Glendale Community College. The event’s purpose is explicitly educational, aiming to help students “get a better insight on their fellow peers” and “educate students that everyone is playing on the same field.” This directly connects to the goal of providing inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The fair is designed to celebrate and put a specific cultural group, the Latinx community, “in the spotlight.” By organizing events for various cultures, including the Asian night market, the college actively works to ensure its “diverse student population” is represented and valued. This effort to foster inclusion and celebrate cultural differences addresses the goal of reducing inequalities within and among countries, applied here at a community level. The coordinator’s statement, “I think there are similarities that we can find and bridges that we can build together,” directly supports the aim of fostering social inclusion.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article describes the college as an institution fostering a peaceful and inclusive community. The event’s goal is for students “to come together as a community” and create a “lovely environment.” By being responsive to its diverse population and promoting cultural understanding, the college is building a more inclusive and just micro-society on its campus, which aligns with the principles of creating peaceful and inclusive societies with strong, responsive institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.7: “By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for… appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.” The fair is a direct implementation of this target. It is an educational event designed to increase students’ “appreciation of cultural diversity” by having them learn a “little characteristic… from each country” and experience different foods, music, and cultural aspects.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.” The article showcases the college’s efforts to promote the social inclusion of its Latinx and other minority students. A student notes, “Seeing that they expand the cultures (celebrated)…is cool to see that they actually care about everyone,” which indicates a feeling of empowerment and inclusion resulting from the college’s actions.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.7: “Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.” The college’s Cultural Diversity Division is being responsive to the needs of its “diverse student population.” The participation of the student government (ASGCC), whose Vice President of Activities stated it is “important to show up to cultural events,” demonstrates a move towards inclusive and representative participation within the institution’s community.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicators for SDG 4, Target 4.7

• Implied Indicator: Number of students participating in cultural diversity education. The article describes an activity where students “visit three of those countries, fill out a little passport and a little characteristic they learned from each country.” The number of completed passports could serve as a direct indicator of student engagement in learning about global citizenship and cultural diversity.

Indicators for SDG 10, Target 10.2

• Implied Indicator: Proportion of the population reporting a feeling of inclusion. The student’s quote, “The community around the school and the environment is a lovely environment…It brings people wanting to come back every day,” serves as qualitative data. This could be formalized into a survey-based indicator measuring students’ sense of belonging and inclusion on campus.

Indicators for SDG 16, Target 16.7

• Implied Indicator: Number and variety of institutional events promoting cultural inclusion. The article mentions this was the “first specific Latinx heritage celebration” and that for the “last 4 years, every May we do a…nightmarket where we invite different Asian market vendors.” The frequency and diversity of such events organized by the college can be used as an indicator of the institution’s responsiveness to its diverse student body.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: elvaq.com