CSUN student Ariadna Sanchez

CSUN student Brian Cena

CSUN Student Ang Valdez

CSUN student Rogelio Ortiz

CSUN student Tony Guardado

CSUN student Giselle Perez

– Additional reporting and photos by Cristina Espinosa and David Ajtun

Hispanic Heritage Month runs Sept. 15-Oct. 15. At CSUN, it’s a time for students, faculty and staff to reflect on identity, celebrate culture and discover how belonging grows in everyday spaces. CSUN Newsroom spoke with Matadors from diverse backgrounds about the classes and mentors that help them thrive. They also shared what they would invite the CSUN community to experience, from food to film to traditions, as they map their next steps.

Ariadna Sanchez, 44. “I am Mexican.”

While reflecting on Hispanic Heritage Month, the master’s student studying Spanish points to her lecture classes and the Department of Chicana/o Studies in Jerome Richfield Hall as places where her culture feels most alive on campus. “Being surrounded by the murals and the history there, it’s a way to celebrate and to acknowledge the achievement of the community and the people that opened paths to students like me. I feel a sense of unity, belonging, community and pride there,” she said. She recommended that fellow Matadors check out the cultural programming at the University Library, to connect with history and community. “The library hosts all this knowledge, hosts voices from different communities. Through books, we can get access to those communities,” she said.

For Sanchez, college has become much more than a place to take classes. “CSUN has become my second home. I immediately connected with my professors and with my classmates,” she said. “Every person has definitely made a mark, and I’m very grateful to my professors, tutors and classmates that helped me be here today.”

Her education journey, Sanchez said, is just starting. “I would like to [get] my Ph.D. Coming from a rural community from Oaxaca, immigrating to the States as a married woman, I never thought that higher education would be something for me,” she explained. “I am the first in my family to get a B.A. and to [pursue] a master’s degree. I never thought that being a Ph.D. candidate or higher education was going to be tangible or achievable, and CSUN has prepared me to continue reaching my goals.”

Brian Cena, 21. “I am Argentinian-Salvadoran.”

A senior majoring in film production Cena noted that his favorite films are his personal pathways to his culture. “Argentina has such a rich film culture, and I love to share [those films], not only with my professors, but also with my fellow students,” he said.

He credited faculty and his peers with providing him encouragement in an industry that can be filled with hurdles. “The people I meet in class, they’re the ones who really motivate me and give me inspiration. Seeing how they’re succeeding in this career where work isn’t guaranteed, it’s inspiring to see them finding work and working together on projects,” he said.

Cena’s next chapter is already taking shape. “My goal is a career in film production … what I like to do is produce. Not only does CSUN give me support … the resources we have on campus are really helping me toward that goal. [My senior thesis] is producing a short film with a large budget — the biggest budget I’ve ever been given [It’s] a simulation of making a film professionally,” he said.

Ang Valdez, 22. “I am Mexican.”

While thinking about Hispanic Heritage Month and CSUN, the senior art major with a concentration in photography shared that her culture feels most alive on campus in the studios and galleries. “The art department, because we’re so diverse here and it’s so accepting,” she said.

As for who’s made the biggest contribution to her success at CSUN, Valdez didn’t hesitate to name a mentor who’s been in her corner since year one: “My professor Teresa Morrison … that’s my No. 1. She has been my mentor since my first year. She’s supportive and she’s just constantly there for me, always looking out for me, even if I’m not in her class,” the art major said. “She really inspired me to continue with photography.”

After graduation, Valdez has her sights set on an exciting career possibility. “After CSUN, I want to be a concert photographer … and, hopefully, work with bands that I like and go on tour with them,” she said. “I also want to branch out my photography style and potentially have my own exhibit or my own gallery.”

Rogelio Ortiz, 20. “I am Hispanic.”

For this sociology junior, cultural pride is not tied to one spot on campus. “Anywhere,” he said. “Any time I walk into a building on campus, I feel like, ‘Damn, I’m the first in my family to come to a university, and I’m proud of myself. I’m going share my [thoughts and ideas] and be who I am.’”

For Ortiz, belonging takes hold in his Chicana/o studies. “I really have a strong connection with my Chicana/o studies professor. Each time I have a Chicana/o studies class, I like learning the history about their family. I feel safe and welcomed in [in those classes],” he said.

Looking ahead, the sociology major wants to help students from backgrounds like his own. “My big goal after CSUN is to work with students who come from underserved communities. I want to help others discover their passion and let them know that college is for everyone,” he said, noting that he’s part of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and is already gaining experience through outreach with high school and community college students.

Tony Guardado, 22. “I am Mexican.”

The senior majoring in cinema and television arts with a focus on television narrative traces his roots with pride. “My dad is from Zacatecas, and my mom was from Guadalajara,” he said.

When asked where on campus he feels most proud celebrating his culture, his answer was simple: “Anywhere. Also, the theater department and the library do a good job showing different types of cultures,” he said.

Looking ahead, Guardado is eager to dive deep into the many possible career paths of the entertainment industry. “I want to gain as much experience as I can, whether it’s acting, directing, producing or writing,” he said. “Hopefully by next semester, I’ll get an internship going — that’s something I’m really excited about. I hope to get help from professors and advice from other students that have gotten internships … to be a part of the entertainment [industry] is a dream of mine.”

Giselle Perez, 20. “I am Latina.”

Belonging often starts where she studies, said Perez, a senior majoring in early childhood and adolescent development. She pointed to Sequoia Hall, where many of her classes have been held. “There’s a lot of [Latina/o] people in my classes,” making this campus spot “the most comfortable,” Perez said.

Perez pointed to her strong relationships with faculty and credits those connections with giving her confidence to seek guidance and perspective beyond assignments. “It’s made me feel more comfortable with asking questions and getting advice on things outside of school too,” she said. When asked what she’d like to share with other Matadors, the senior said she’d start with what often brings people together: “Probably the food, so they can experience [a part] of what my culture has to offer.”

Looking ahead, Perez plans to pursue graduate studies. “CSUN is helping me get there by offering specific courses that help you apply to grad school,” she said.

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