Una Muestra de Nuestra Cultura invites students to share food and community
The Latinx celebration will feature a performance by UC Davis Mariachi Los Mesteños
By ZAYNAB MOHIUDDEEN — campus@theaggie.org
UC Davis’ Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) will bring students and campus organizations together for its third annual Una Muestra de Nuestra Cultura celebration on Oct. 15. Scheduled to run from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Student Community Center’s Multipurpose Room, the event will offer cultural food, music and games while creating opportunities for students to share their identities and traditions.
EOP supports first-generation and low-income students by providing academic guidance, student advocacy, personal and social support and financial resources. EOP’s mission statement emphasizes cultural appreciation and celebrating diversity alongside its commitment to academic excellence and student retention.
EOP is organizing Una Muestra de Nuestra Cultura in collaboration with Aggie Compass Basic Needs. Teresa Hernandez Quezada, an academic success and retention specialist with EOP, says campus staffers are working with an EOP student planning committee to put on the event.
“Una Muestra de Nuestra Cultura was inspired by wanting to create a space where students could come together to celebrate and share different aspects of their cultures and identities,” Hernandez Quezada said via email. “Our own EOP students created the idea three years ago and agreed that all cultures and communities can easily come together over shared food.”
The event’s name, Una Muestra de Nuestra Cultura, translates to “a sample of our culture.” The celebration gives students opportunities to share pieces of their experiences through food, music, games and performances.
“At its core, this event allows us to support a sense of belonging through celebration and community building,” Hernandez Quezada said. “It gives students an opportunity to connect with one another outside of an academic setting and reminds them that their identities and cultures are valuable parts of the UC Davis community. It also provides space for them to share commonalities between their cultures.”
The celebration is also part of El Centro’s Latinx Heritage Month programming. Open to students of all identities, the retention center provides academic support and community centered on Chicanx and Latinx experiences.
“El Centro is important because it provides a sense of academic support while encouraging a cultural identity,” Nora Solano, a second-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, said. “Although UC Davis is an eligible Hispanic-Serving Institution, it is still hard to find community sometimes, and that is what El Centro provides through tutoring, advising and a sense of belonging for Hispanic and Latinx students.”
This year’s celebration will include cultural food and beverages, traditional games such as lotería and dominoes and a live performance by UC Davis Mariachi Los Mesteños. Attendees will also have opportunities to connect with campus programs and student organizations.
Participating groups have been invited to contribute dishes in a potluck format, allowing students to try different foods while learning about the communities represented at UC Davis. Aggie Compass Basic Needs is also giving financial support to pay for the food EOP is offering attendees.
As the event enters its third year, organizers are emphasizing contributions from the broader campus community. Hernandez Quezada described that approach as a shift toward a celebration students help shape.
“Student involvement is really important because we don’t want to define culture for students — we want students to have opportunities to represent and celebrate it themselves,” Hernandez Quezada said. “I want [students] to have fun, try something new, meet people and hopefully see some part of themselves or their experiences reflected in the event.”
Students interested in additional programming and resources can visit the EOP website, the El Centro website or stop by either center. EOP’s office, located on the southwest corner of the Quad, is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. El Centro, located on the second floor patio area of the Memorial Union, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Written by: Zaynab Mohiuddeen — campus@theaggie.org