Sonoma State students walking into the first floor at the library are greeted by the colorful mural painted on the first floor. The mural depicts migrant workers, activists and serves as a memorial for César E. Chávez. This month is Latinx Heritage month, where we reflect on the history, leaders, and culture of those with Latinx heritage. This month the perfect time that we, as a community, can ask ourselves: Is Sonoma State doing enough to support its Latinx students? 

Sonoma State is an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) certified campus, meaning that we have a 25% or higher Latinx population within our student body. While the school offers different programs to their Latinx students, like PUERTA and Summer Bridge, we are left to wonder if these programs are being utilized by students.

PUERTA is one of Sonoma State’s programs geared towards Hispanic/Latinx students. It stands for “Preparing Underrepresented Educators to Realize their Teaching Ambitions,” and seeks to provide support for Latinx students pursuing a career in education. According to Director Khou Yang-Vigil, she seeks to provide students with “a sense of belonging,” and she also believes that “Sonoma State is not doing enough to support the community as a whole for Latinx students.” She describes common issues or challenges in the Latinx student community, which include “leaving home, as well as having families that may not understand how to navigate college life, or know what their child is really doing.” 

Coming into their fifth year, PUERTA has helped students with financial support (ranging from grants for books to aid with food insecurity), as well as academic support and social support. PUERTA will be hosting events, such as the upcoming Latinx alumni panel on Fri. Oct. 1 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m on Zoom, for those who are now in teaching credential programs, to share their experiences. In the future PUERTA and similar programs will be looking for more ways to celebrate Latinx student’s cultural identity and academic success. 

Bianca Gutierrez, a third year Biology major at SSU, joined PUERTA her first semester on campus after feeling overwhelmed by the new challenges of college life. Gutierrez is a first generation college student, stating that she “came with practically no knowledge of what to expect and how my life would change.” However, with PUERTA, she found a community of students with the same experiences, able to support each other and understand what she was going through. “Without PUERTA, I would not have felt the connection or felt represented in the school- the school itself does not celebrate Latinx culture without PUERTA,” Gutierrez stated.

Gutierez also feels that PUERTA is a good influence on the student body as a whole, and striving for more diversity and educational understanding at all levels is crucial especially in a state as diverse as California. Making Sonoma State’s student body aware of the PUERTA program’s mission is important for students to feel a sense of community and belonging. 

Nataly Hernandez is the Senator of Diversity at SSU, and she identifies as a Latinx/ Hispanic student. “Being a Latinx/Hispanic student at SSU is very difficult. Stepping into a predominantly white institution came with a major culture shock. It was difficult finding my niche on campus when there were no places where I felt like I could belong.” Hernandez, like many Latinx students, was underwhelmed by the lack of diversity on campus. She adds that, “class sizes are also very small and within my major I am often the only Hispanic student.” In coming to college, students gain many things, new friends, a sense of independence, and a community dedicated to learning- however it shouldnt come with the loss of culture for our Latinx students. Like Gutierrez, Hernandez did find a program on campus that allowed her to meet other Latinx students. Sonoma State has programs like Summer Bridge, which allows students to find their niche by connecting students with similar backgrounds and ethnicities.

Working with AS, Hernandez is very optimistic about her future. She sees improvements and passion about inclusivity from students and staff around her. She goes on to state, “with growing university wide education on DEI (Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion), I see a lot more community for Latinx/Hispanic students. I see it through Summer Bridge and through the CAASE office. For the month of Sept., students should be encouraged to learn from Latinx cultures and respect them, not just one month out of the year! There is a little more community for Latinx/Hispanic students than before, but we are not done, we are just getting started.” 

Sonoma State should strive to maintain the inclusivity that it practices during Latinx Heritage month beyond Oct. 15, and serve the community as an example of what an HSI is.