Oregon High School’s (OHS) Latinx Student Union (LSU) kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month on Thursday, Sept. 15 by hosting local artist Rodrigo Carapia and celebrating the installation of his work in the school’s art gallery.
Carapia spent the day at OHS meeting with students, staff members and creating new art. LSU students and their families hosted a potluck after school to allow guests to meet Carapia, connect with school staff and eat the diverse cuisine that plays an integral part of Latin culture.
Carapia, a self-taught artist from Mexico City, started his career as a young street artist and experimented with his art on bigger scales as a result. He began working with canvas and paper when he moved to the U.S. After establishing himself as a professional artist, he decided to use art as a form of self-expression and translated that to offering art workshops in schools, libraries and juvenile correctional centers. He wanted to give the youth he comes across that same means of expression.
“Once my brush touches the canvas, the work becomes [the] epitome of my rich Mexa-culture,” Carapia said.
Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15; its national observation dates back to 1968 when it was officially enacted into law in 1988. The theme for 2022 is “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.”
OHS will continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month through the OHS Equity Book Club. Their fourth book, "We Are Not From Here" by Jenny Torres Sanchez, follows the lives of three teens from Guatemala who know they have no choice but to cross from Guatemala to Mexico and run: for the border, for the hope of freedom and for their lives. The Equity Book Club is open to all OHS students, staff and families. The club meets in October and November.
