It is no secret that at Texas Wesleyan, we value our relationship with the greater Fort Worth community. We are also honored to be recognized by the United States Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Perhaps nowhere are these two TXWES priorities more evident than at the annual Fiestas Patrias parade in the Fort Worth Stockyards. For this reason, on September 15, faculty, staff and alumni joined students from various campus student organizations—including the Bilingual Education Student Organization (BESO), the Latinx Student Association (LSA), the Gold Line Dancers, and Mariachi Oro Azul—in representing TXWES at the annual event. The parade, held at the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, was one of many vibrant events that featured live music, folkloric dancing, cattle drives, the Grito de Independencia and the México en la Sangre Rodeo.

Brian Renteria, TXWES Department of Education Certification Officer, drove the Texas Wesleyan University Security truck and float, which students, alumni, and faculty had bedecked in brightly hued papel picado, small flags representing Latin American countries, balloons, and exquisite tissue paper flowers. On the hood of the truck, spectators could appreciate a giant Mexican flag and a large banner that proclaimed, "Texas Wesleyan University is proud to be a Hispanic-Serving Institution.” Gold Line dancers, Hilary Colina and Jaelynn Fields, brought the glamour in their sparkly uniforms and cowboy boots. As the dancers energetically agitated their pompoms to the pulsating rhythms of merengue, reggaeton, and salsa, the rest of the TXWES party got “Rambunctious,” dancing and singing along. “I felt extremely validated that the dancers approved of my playlist,” joked Associate Professor and Spanish Program Director, Dr. Amy Bell. Dr. Bell’s students, along with BESO students and a group of TXWES Alumni Executive Committee and Board of Directors members, carried decorated posters representing their groups. Several students, together with visiting professor and BESO sponsor, Dr. Jessica Salazar, handed out Mexican candy to excited paradegoers, while Visiting Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Dr. Khalid Shaikh, and others smiled and waved to the throngs of people amassed along the parade route.

The parade was the first of many events that will take place on and off campus during the next month in celebration of National Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month. Don’t miss any of the fun—check RamSpace for upcoming opportunities to participate!