On Tuesday, Sept. 10, ¡Raíces: First Year and Beyond! hosted their 1st year anniversary event and Hispanic Serving Institutions week celebration after a year of student empowerment at City College, centering around Latiné students commemorating their culture, knowledge, and community.
The event began with Annette Cordero, a member of the coastal band of the Chumash Nation, to bless the gathering. Leaves and stems were burnt as Cordero cleared any space of negative energy, which is a common indigenous practice.
The celebration proceeded with Resistencia Mexicayolt Chalchiuhticue, a group of presenters showcasing unity and burning incense in honor of Raíces’s 1st year anniversary and Latiné Heritage Month.
According to Melissa Menedez, Raíces faculty lead, the main goal of the program itself is to increase enrollment, retention, graduation, and completion for Latiné, Latinx, Latino, and Latina students. As well as low-income and part-time students, ensuring student support as well as increasing graduation rates.
“It’s a powerful reminder of what we are attempting to nurture and manifest with this program.” Menendez said.
Guest speaker Paloma Vargas, former president of the alliance of hispanic serving institution educators (AHSIE), spoke at the celebration expressing gratitude for the Raíces program, as well as critical feedback in which the program can be improved for student benefit.
Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) are degree-granting colleges or universities whose student population is 25% or more hispanic. City College was honored as an HSI in March of 2011 which was later recognized in 2021.
There are six total HSIs in 30 states nationwide and they continue to grow. According to Vargas, HSIs only represent about 20% of all higher education but City College graduates 63% of latina students.
“25% is not a magic bullet,” Vargas said. “What that 25% number does tell us is that an institution is now eligible for Title Five, developing HSIs and Title Three, STEM and articulation grants.”
As of last fall, it was reported that over 40% of City College’s student population identified as Hispanic, according to the campus demographics, giving the program a $3 million grant from Title V.
The funding provided from this HSI was used specifically to provide support and resources for Latina student needs and deserve to be successful in an educational landscape that was not designed for the schools’ current student population, according to Vargas.
“Not only are we serving Latinx students, but we are also serving black students, indigenous students, asian students, pacific islander students, filipino students, and any student that has any of these multiple intersectional identities,” Vargas said.
Raíces plans to evaluate enrollment management and equity plans to better service Latinx students as the program continues on to its second year established at City College.
Last fall, Raíces held a tree planting ceremony, honoring the launch of the program. Next to the Jacaranda “Bonsai Blue” tree, a sculptured rock was placed with a plaque which reads, “In recognition of the struggle, resilience, and liberation inspiring el crecimiento de ¡Raíces: First Year and Beyond! And City Colleges commitment to cultivate its Hispanic Serving Institutional Identity.”
“Raíces is open for all SBCC students,” Menendez said. “We have an amazing community of faculty, advisors, academic counselors, and peer advocates to support students throughout their journey at Santa Barbara City College.”
Latiné Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, and a month of events hosted by Raices was approved by The Board of Trustees on Sept. 12.
Raíces is hosting different events all month to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage month and continues to grow as a program on campus.
