If Not Us, Then Who?: Hispanic Heritage Month

HC Magazine

Carla

Chris

Victoria

If Not Us, Then Who?: Hispanic Heritage Month

Jonny

Jenny

Valeria

Matthew

After a successful turnout for Black History Month in February of this year, the creative masterminds, Tyrin Sykes and Eduardo Cisneros, felt as though it was only right to highlight students that represent the Hispanic community as well. “The purpose of this magazine is the same as the first. We want to continue to create a platform to highlight those at our school that have been through and accomplished things that go unrecognized or under-appreciated,” said Sykes. By celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America, it allows one to appreciate and understand the importance of Hispanic culture.

Through this version of the magazine, we hope the stories of these seven amazing students gives our readers a better understanding for how hard students of color at Wesleyan work, and the beauty of having a sense of community at PWI’s where students like these seven go to pursue an education and make change. Because If Not Us, Then Who?

“Your individuality is important, but so is belonging.

Recognize the parts of your culture that have shaped your past, and the parts you want to carry with you into the future.” -Sol Peralta

Viva La Raza!

JENNIFER (JENNY) RANGEL MARTINEZ

“Times will get hard, and there will be moments where you might want to quit, but you simply have to push through. I know that at the end of the day you will accomplish your goal, and look back and realize how proud you are of yourself and say ‘sí se pudo.”

Jenny is a sophomore Marketing major from Chicago, IL. At Illinois Wesleyan, she is the President for the Spanish and Latine Student Association (SALSA),, Development Intern for ISU Athletics, a member of the American Marketing Association, and IWU F1RST Outreach.

For Jenny, her main way of staying in tune with her culture is through SALSA. She’s consistently planning and executing cultural events and meetings to celebrate Spanish and Latine culture on campus. Additionally, she loves listening to Hispanic music by more modern artists, such as Becky G and Humbe, or older Mexican music with banda and corridos. Aside from how she stays in tune with her culture, Jenny loves the music and food that comes with Hispanic culture. She states that “it’s an immediate community with people you know you will feel comfortable being surrounded by, and you know you can express your Hispanic culture without being judged.”

With being Hispanic and a person of color, there’s many hardships, and at a PWI hardships come in many ways.

One of the main hardships Jenny had to face while at Wesleyan has been protecting her peace and putting her mental health first. Jenny expresses “during my freshman year I wasted so much time on people who were not worth putting effort into, which in the end was affecting my own mental health as well as my perspective on my self worth. Through a lot of self assessment and letting people go, I have found my community at Wesleyan.”

Although Jenny’s journey through college is just beginning, she’s already seen so much growth in herself within a year.

Before coming to Wesleyan, Jenny was top 5% of her cla-

ss with a 4.7 GPA. Alongside of this, she was part of plenty of honor societies/clubs and was awarded AP and State Scholar. Although she has accomplished many academic goals while in high school, Jenny has started to appreciate the personal goals she’s been able to achieve while in college. She states “I’ve grown so much in the past year, whether it’s career, emotional, or social wise, I can say I’ve become someone my high school self would have been proud of.” Because of the work Jenny puts in, whether it’s personal or academic, she’s on the brink of being able to graduate early if things go as plan.

“I know that at the end of the day you will accomplish your goal, and look back and realize how proud you are of yourself and say ‘sí se pudo.”

Jennifer Rangel Martinez HC Magazine Photoshoot ‘24

CRISTON (CHRIS) CORTORREAL Chris is a sophomore Nursing major from the 504, New Orleans, LA. At Wesleyan, Chris is the Social Media Chair for Black Student Union (BSU).

Coming to Wesleyan, the biggest hardship Chris has faced thus far was the culture shock. Coming from New Orleans, where Hispanic culture is heavy within the city, to now residing in Bloomington, where Hispanic culture is there but isn’t as heavy as New Orleans, is a major shift. However, through his family music, and food Chris has been able to stay connected with his culture.

Chris’ go to artist for heartbreak are Anthony Santos and Frank Reyes, who are known as some of the best bachata artists of all time. Although they’re aren’t many food options in Bloomington, Chris believes that there’s a special place somewhere waiting for him to be blessed with their food.

In fact, food is the thing he loves the most about Hispanic culture. He states “I remember coming home after a long day of school and smelling Bacalao my pawpaw would make and would run to the table to eat. He would always cook a big pot of rice for me because I love rice and I would scrape the bottom for con con.”

While Chris is only a sophomore, he’s made an effort since he’s been at Wesleyan to give his all in whatever he does. This has been a mindset of his since high school, where he had a 3.8 GPA.

HC MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TYRIN SYKES

VALERIA SUAREZ

“What you have done and how hard you have worked for matters, who you are matters and it can motivate others that have struggles similar to the ones you have.” this tough time and thrive. Valeria’s cultural background is relevant to her and feels as though it should be for everyone no matter where they come from. She expresses “I also understand that not everyone cares about your story, and that is a difficult thing to navigate. But I honestly believe that only you, know or care about what you have been through, and it is up to you to make the best out of your college experience.” For Valeria, staying in touch with her family is what reminds her of home, why she’s here, and how far she’s come.

Everyone has a story that matters, but not everyone has the voice to tell that story. Hence why Valeria feels as though it’s so important for young Hispanics to find their voice.

Valeria is a junior Political Science and International Studies double major with a Creative Writing Minor from Venezuela. At Wesleyan, Valeria is very involved as she’s the President and founder of Women in Politics, Co-founder of the IWU Science to Policy Network, Vice President of IWU Pi Sigma Alpha, an LRC Spanish Tutor, and a Residential Community Advisor (RCA). One thing that Valeria loves the most about Hispanic culture is the warmth and welcoming nature of Hispanic people. “ There's always a willingness to help, a strong work ethic that values resourcefulness, and a culture centered on looking out for one another,” says Valeria.

However, one of the biggest hardships she’s had to face was the feeling of loneliness or burnout. Through finding people that makes her feel comfortable about herself and who she is, allowed Valeria to overcome

These same struggles that Valeria has encountered has allowed her to accomplish many things within her years at Wesleyan so far. Suarez won IWU’s 2024 RSO Leader of the Year Award, Flash Talk Award at he National Science Policy Network Conference in Riverside California, and has learned to speak four languages: Spanish, German, French, and English!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TYRIN SYKES

VICTORIA BALLESTEROSGONZALEZ “Keep dreaming big, work hard, and know that every space you enter benefits from your presence.

You are more than capable of achieving any goal you set for yourself.”

Victoria is a senior Political Science and Environmental Studies major from Adeje, the Canary Islands, Spain. At Wesleyan she is the Co-Director for IWU MakerGirl Academy, Vice President for Women in Politics, Treasurer for the BloNo Collegiate Rotaract, and the Science to Policy Network.

When first arriving to Wesleyan, Victoria felt very isolated being the only person from Spain, particularly from a region as distinct as the Canary Islands.

However, she learned to take on her heritage as a source of pride and strength. She found joy in sharing her background, and over time she built strong communities on campus.

At a PWI, the main way Victoria was able to stay in connected to her culture was through personal traditions, such as cooking/eating authentic Spanish meals, celebrating key cultural holidays, and maintaining close ties with her family back home. She expresses “I particularly cherish the traditions and festivities unique to the Canary Islands, such as the Día de Canarias, which remind me of my roots and the vibrant energy of our heritage.” Sharing these aspects of her culture with friends on campus has allowed Victoria to feel more grounded while also building deeper connections with others who appreciate learning about her background.

VICTORIA BALLESTEROS-GONZALEZ HC MAGAZINE 2024

With staying connected with Hispanic culture, Victoria also has her fair share of thing she loves about the culture as well. The things she loves the most are the deep sense of community, emphasis on family, and focus on forming meaningful relationships. in

Victoria’s family, relationships are nurtured with “warmth, openness, and love.” Whether it’s through traditional gatherings, sharing meals, or participating in lively festivals, the sense of togetherness and joy is undeniable.

Embrace your heritage wholeheartedly.

Your culture and experiences make you unique, and they will serve as a powerful foundation wherever you go. “Don’t be afraid to share your story, and never let anyone make you feel like you don’t belong,” says Ballesteros-Gonzalez. It’s crucial to seek out communities and mentors who understand and support you, and remember to celebrate your cultural roots, whether it’s through personal traditions, language, or music.

Victoria understands the importance of young Hispanics appreciating their culture and heritage while they’re young, because they’re going to be many people along the way that try to make them forget where they come from and the beauty of their culture.

VICTORIA’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS: FIRST SPANIARD SELECTED TO ADDRESS THE UN AT THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN SCIENCE PANEL. SELECTED AS THE 2024 LINCOLN ACADEMY OF ILLINOIS STUDENT LAUREATE FOR IWU. SPOKEN AT MULTIPLE UN PANELS AND CONTRIBUTED TO DISCUSSIONS ON GENDER EQUALITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE. AWARDED THE "DÁCIL MARTÍN ROTARY CLUB TENERIFE SUR" DISTINCTION FOR PUBLIC SOCIAL ACTION ADVOCACY, ENHANCING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY AWARENESS.

CARLA MARTINEZ “Don’t forget that you are not alone, find things that make you happy and surround yourself with people who make you happy.”

Carla is a senior Marketing major with a Graphic Design minor, from Normal, IL. On campus she’s a part of the Women’s Soccer team.

The college prior to coming to Wesleyan had many players that were international where she spoke Spanish most of the time. However, once she came to Wesleyan she no longer had to do so. Being a transfer athlete her junior year made it hard for Carla to make friends and find her place on campus. With her being a naturally quiet person, making friends is something that Carla is still overcoming. She didn’t meet any other Hispanics until Spring semester of 2024, and eventually had the courage to attend SALSA events where she felt even more connected with her culture.

When it comes to Hispanic culture, Carla loves how much pride Hispanics take in their accomplishments and value of family. She states that “the importance of family is never absent, and growing up we are taught to defend each other and support one another...our culture is also so vibrant and colorful that you can’t help but smile whenever you see something that represents our culture.”

Carla believes it’s extremely important that young Hispanics take advantage of all the opportunities they have at their disposal and celebrate their accomplishments with family, no matter how small.

“We are taught that everything we do is for them, and I do believe that is true. Let that be the motivation that drives you,” says Martinez.

HC MAGAZINE 2024

MATTHEW NOGUEZ “In order for us as Hispanics to reach higher levels in society we need to pick each other up rather than envy those who are doing well for themselves.”

Matthew is a senior English Writing major from Stickney, IL. During his collegiate years Matthew has been able to Intern with Chicago Fire FC Media Relations and Brand Content for Hudl, publlish around 20 sports articles for IWU Argus, and worked with Media Relations in soccer matches for CONCACAF, Chelsea F.C. , Real Madrid, Mexico National Team.

Although he stays connected with his culture in various ways, one of the main ways Matthew stays connected with his culture is through music. He’s constantly listening to music in Spanish, whether it’s newer music or songs his mom would play as he got older. Matthew also loves the strong family essence that comes with Hispanic culture. He states “My parents are everything to me along with the rest of family, they’ve shaped me to be who I am today. I’m forever grateful for them.”

While many hardships come with being a person of color at a PWI, Matthew hasn’t had any hardships. He’s been able to make friends with people who view life differently, grew up differently.

Matthew expresses that Hispanics “have to work twice as hard as others to get into positions they want to be.” Hence why it’s so crucial for young Hispanics to not forget their background and be proud of their race and skin.

MATTHEW NOGUEZ HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

JONATHAN (JONNY) RIOS Jonny is a senior Biology major from Waukegan, Illinois. He’s also a former member of the wrestling team, former Co-President of SALSA, and is now a general member of the RSO along with SCS. One of the main ways Jonny has stay in tune and connected with his culture has been through SALSA and other cultural RSOs. Through the community building and celebratory events, they bring a warm feeling of traditions and family that he truly enjoys.

Although many hardships that come with being a person of color could include different forms of finding a sense of comfortability and community, for Jonny it was mainly financial hardships that got in the way. He expresses “having to pay my way through my degree with minimal help has made it tough to remain focused and enjoy my time, but the friendships I’ve created here make it all worth it and easier.”

Many students who come to Wesleyan, come here having to provide for themselves, financially, emotionally, and physically. For Jonny, it was no different but he’s taken on the challenge and is now reaching the end of his collegiate journey as he prepares to graduate in December.

“Know that wherever you are, you belong, because you’ve earned it, good or bad, make the adjustments to succeed and know that seeking help will only ever benefit you.” - Jonathan Rios

JONATHAN RIOS CLASS OF 2024 DECEMBER GRADUATE

IF NOT US, THEN WHO? HC MAGAZINE