The Binghamton community celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month on Saturday across the street from Grace Tabernacle church with a night of cultural food, dances and volunteers from local and student organizations.

Hispanic Heritage Month spans from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, aligning with the independence days of multiple Central American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The month highlights the contributions of Hispanic populations in America.

Edward Marte began organizing an annual Hispanic Heritage Month event for the Binghamton community in 2022, drawing multiple sponsors, including Empower Federal Credit Union, New York Unified Court Systems, Planet Fitness, Together for Youth and M&T Bank. Mayor Jared Kraham and Councilmember Kinya Middleton, who represents the second district, attended this year’s event.

Early in the event, Kraham addressed the growing diversity within Binghamton and voiced his appreciation for the Hispanic community. Kraham’s speech culminated in the official proclamation of October as Hispanic Heritage Month within the city of Binghamton.

“Hispanic Americans have made significant and enduring contributions to the growth and prosperity of the city of Binghamton in countless ways, playing pivotal roles in arts, humanities and society, shaping industry, small business, public service, education and beyond,” Kraham said.

Following Kraham’s remarks, Middleton shared her appreciation for Marte’s contributions to the Hispanic community, starting from when he was a teenager. Middleton explained that the proclamation was originally inspired by Marte’s dedication.

“He’s actually done so much for the community,” Middleton said. “I see him at so many events — not only just at events, but just helping people out in general. So, we wanted to do something to honor him.”

The work of one outstanding member in the Latin community has inspired many, including groups like Binghamton University’s Corazoncitos and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, who volunteered their time to the event. Both student organizations emphasize community building and philanthropy.

Anny Gordian, co-public relations chair for Corazoncitos and a sophomore majoring in industrial and systems engineering, explained why the group was encouraged to attend the celebration.

“One of our pillars is community service, so we’re volunteering for this event today,” Gordian said. “We also volunteered for it last year, so I think being here really gets us more involved in the Binghamton community, which is another one of our missions.”

Dana Diaz, president of Corazoncitos and a senior double-majoring in Latin American and Caribbean studies and English, discussed how the organization has been participating in this event for several years, collaborating directly with Marte. She said that Corazoncitos has spread awareness for Hispanic Heritage Month through this work, resulting in the Hispanic community feeling “more proud and willing” to educate and speak about their culture.

SHPE was also in attendance, speaking on the importance of community building. Bruno Urgiles-Sanchez, a member of SHPE and a sophomore majoring in mathematics, explained that there is a need to showcase the thriving Hispanic community within Binghamton and a community within professional fields.

“I feel by us connecting and being here in this event is rewarding and helpful, so we can not only share our goals from SHPE, but also be able to represent what we believe and what we are as SHPE and as engineers or any other major that there is,” Urgiles-Sanzchez said. “We need to show other people and show everyone, ‘Yes, we’re here,’ that the space that we are in right now — it wasn’t just given to us. We earned that spot to be here. We earned that privilege to be where we are.”

This collaboration of Hispanic peoples aligns with Marte’s original vision for the event in creating a space for the community to come together. Every aspect of the event focused on community impact, with ticket sales used to support education in the Dominican Republic. Giving back has been at the center of much of Marte’s work, and this annual event provides a glimpse into this.

“The original inspiration behind the event came from my passion for uniting the community to both celebrate and learn from the diverse Hispanic cultures represented here,” Marte wrote. “I also wanted to create a space where the Hispanic community feels recognized and appreciated for the hard work and contributions we make every day.”

At the end of the night, Marte shared that he was moved by the turnout and those who united to make the celebration happen. From the sponsors to the face painting, the event culminated in a night of cultural festivities in recognition of the final days of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Looking toward the future, the event is expected to expand as the community continues to grow stronger.

“Last year, they were at the Polish Center,” Middleton said. “So, this year is bigger and [Marte] is going to probably have to find another place to hold it next year, because it’s really growing and it’s becoming very popular. And we need events like this and spaces like this to honor Hispanic and Latin culture, just so that way you can feel seen. You can connect with so many people here.”