Gladiators enjoyed an exciting night of painting, music, and fun! In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, the annual paint night was held on Oct. 10, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the event center building 700.
Every year El Centro a bilingual resource center is dedicated to Chicanx/Latinx and low-income student success holds this annual paint night event where students paint a picture of an influential Latinx person to honor Latin and Hispanic Heritage Month. This year people painted The Queen of Salsa music Celia Cruz, a Latinx singer from Havana, Cuba who is one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Cruz rose to fame in Cuba during the 1950s as a singer of guarachas, earning the nickname “La Guarachera de Cuba”.
As soon as entering the building there were several tables prepared with paints and reference photos of Celia Cruz while people who rsvp’d checked in. The social event provided pizza, chips, and sodas. People ate while everyone mingled waiting for others to arrive.
Once the event began people were able to customize their color palette to their preference. Some chose bright and bold colors while others chose muted soft tones to paint Celia. Nonetheless, everyone was excited to allow their creativity to flourish.
Event coordinator and guest artist Angie Munoz gave a step by step tutorial on how to paint Celia on screen while salsa music from Celia played.
Periodically throughout the night, facts about Celia’s life were presented as people painted on. Some facts mentioned were the most popular phase coined by Celia herself “Azucar” translating to sugar! This trademark cry is one of the most recognizable symbols of salsa music. Celia used it in every recording and performance until her death. Celia used this word to express joy and honor her African ancestors and affirm her Afro-Cuban background. According to Celia, the phrase originated when a waiter asked her if she wanted sugar in her coffee at a restaurant in Miami, Florida. She responded “Azucar!” Because she obviously could not drink Cuban coffee without it. The trademark developed a deeper meaning in remembrance of those who were enslaved on Cuban sugar plantations.
Student Kelly H. said,” I came here to relax and paint, it sounded fun so I decided to come here with my friend after class.”
Some learned facts were that Celia was also a symbolic political figure who was exiled from her home country Cuba in 1961 for publicly scrutinizing Fidel Castro’s communist regime forcing her to move to New York. In 1962 Celia requested permission to return to Cuba but she was denied entry and famously said,” If I cannot return to bury my mother I will never return.” In 1990 30 years after her exiled Celia returned to Cuba to perform Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and took a handful of soil from the island that is buried with her.
At the end of the event,a celebratory group photo was taken that showed everyone’s unique artwork. Each attendee painted their own souvenir, reminding them of Celia Cruz’s life and their creative experience.