On Saturday, Sept. 17, Hood River Valley High School’s Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) group and community members gathered at Jackson Park in Hood River for an afternoon of showcasing the culture and history of Latinx people for a National Hispanic Heritage Month celebration.
MEChA is a student-based organization that promotes higher education, culture and community engagement; the club at Hood River Valley High School became an official chapter last year. Oregon Community Foundation (OFC) awarded the organization two grants this year to support MEChA in community engagement, making the celebration at Jackson Park possible.
“The grant to MEChA at Hood River Valley High School supports an Education Conference on Leadership and Advocacy. The hope is this will give MEChA funds to continue with projects and leadership activities for the students,” said Cheryl Puddy, OCF program officer.
“My hope is that this event becomes a yearly tradition for MEChA to host with club fundraisers, Youth Advisory Council through The Next Door, Inc., and other community partners,” said Cynthia Rivera, HRVHS MEChA adviser.
“MEChA was founded on the principle of self-determination for the liberation of its people. We believe that political involvement and education is the avenue for change in our society,” said The Next Door, Inc. Youth Outreach Worker Julio Cobb-Hernandez, who works with students at Hood River Middle School and Hood River Valley High School. “As this is our second year hosting this event, we hope to continue to show our community about our culture, share our stories, and build stronger connections with everyone in our community.”
Cobb-Hernandez added the MEChA motto is "La unión hace la fuerza;” in schools, it is "La Voz de HRV.”
Community partners included The Next Door, Inc., One Community Health, Gorge Roller Derby, and Lake Taco; Group Ritual Axteca Huitzilopochtli performed on the main stage.
Commented