In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, six Central Michigan University students reflect on what the month means to them personally, sharing stories of identity, family, culture and resilience. From folklórico dancing to mental health advocacy, each student offered a perspective on visibility, pride and the importance of celebration in the face of political tension.⁠ ⁠ One of them is José Medina, a graduate student at CMU. Now proudly identifying as a Mexican American student, Medina sees the month as a time to celebrate who he is, and help others do the same. ⁠ ⁠ “Growing up, I was the only kid from my family that didn't know Spanish, so sometimes I always felt left out of the Latino community,” he said. “But as I continued to explore my culture, especially at Central Michigan University, it opened a lot of perspectives for me.” ⁠ ⁠ Click the link in our bio. ⁠ ⁠ ✍️ Alexandrea Ladiski⁠ 📷️ Mark Hoover⁠ ⁠ #hispanicheritagemonth #lifeatcentral #cmich #studentjournalism⁠