GREENFIELD — Food, music and dance swirled together at Four Rivers Charter Public School Friday evening during the school’s second annual celebration of Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month.
Organized by students, faculty and the community, the event served to celebrate the cultures and histories from Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year.
“The school really came together for this event,” said Spanish teacher Rebecca Rice, who, along with fellow Spanish teacher Elizabeth Rodriguez Salas, helped organize the event. “The idea is to amplify voices in the Latinx community.”
Rice explained the event was created last year by Four Rivers’ Students for Racial and Social Justice group, which was joined by separate faculty and parent groups, in hopes of sharing different cultures with Franklin County.
Attendees were invited to taste a variety of Latin food made by the community or donated by Mesa Verde, Roberto’s Pizzeria, The Blue Rock Restaurant & Bar, Posada Grill, Green Fields Market, Cocina Lupita and Tito’s Taqueria. Music from Viva Quetzal filled the air as students performed dances and shared projects highlighting Latin activists.
Sharing the wide variety of Latin cultures, Rice said, provides an opportunity for the community to take in different ideas and embrace new things. For the students, it’s a chance to embrace diversity and equality for people of all backgrounds.
“Having a sense of something bigger than themselves, it builds empathy,” Rice said. She noted that this event, along with the deep dives into Latin culture they do in Spanish class, has already had an effect on the students. “I’ve noticed more thoughtful kids.”
Eighth grader Seneca Smith said the event is “really great” and is a chance for the community to come together.
“It’s a really great way to celebrate Latinx and Hispanic heritage” she said. “People forget these cultures exist, especially in small places like Greenfield.”
Principal Jenni Manfredi said that seeing this event come together in front of her eyes was “magic.”
“The students are so proud; it’s just amazing,” Manfredi said. She added that learning about other countries’ traditions and heritage is important because it allows the students to look “through the lens of different cultures.”
Junior Isaiah Goleman and sophomore Ivy Newcombe echoed those thoughts, saying that in a predominantly white community like Franklin County, a Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month celebration can remind people that there are other cultures out there.
“I think it sometimes feels like western Mass. is an echo chamber,” Isaiah said. “Bringing diversity into our ideas is imperative.”
“It’s important to recognize the prominence of all different cultures,” Ivy added.
Isaiah said it’s been wonderful to see how quickly the community has embraced a new event so quickly in only its second year.
“It’s something that didn’t exist three years ago,” he said. “It’s special.”
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.