Moreno Valley College’s First Kermés Brings Families, Students Together for Hispanic Heritage Month

Traditional music, great food and happy families filled Coudures Plaza at Moreno Valley College Friday evening as the campus hosted its first “Kermés”, bringing students, employees and community members together for a warm celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

More than 100 people gathered on the Moreno Valley campus Sept. 25, where local food vendors, traditional Latin music, an opportunity drawing and activities for children, including face paintings, drawings and games, created a family-friendly atmosphere on a warm Friday afternoon.

The inaugural celebration was organized through a collaboration with the MVC Dreamers Center, students and employees across the college. Dr. Sharaf Williams, dean of Counseling and Specially Funded Programs, said organizers intentionally chose a Friday evening to make the event accessible to working families.

“Kermés is a really important part of the community,” Williams said. “With a Friday evening, people can have time to really relax and bring their families.”

That intention quickly became visible across Coudures Plaza as parents ate and talked while children played, students volunteered and college employees mingled with community members. Williams said the turnout was especially encouraging for a first-year event, describing it as “a great turnout” despite the warm Friday evening.

For Belinda Castro, a Moreno Valley College counselor who works directly with Dreamers students, the Kermés was about more than having a good time. It was an opportunity to make students feel supported by the institution and the people around them.

“The purpose was for us coming together as a community,” Castro said, “ensuring that they feel safe, that they feel that they belong, and that they feel they’re heard.”

Students said that feeling of belonging was noticeable.

María José, an MVC English student in her first year at the college, described the evening as feeling “like being with family.”

“Everyone is so nice, they make you feel so welcome,” she said. “It’s like being with family, with your friends.” For a new student, she added, the experience felt “like a big hug saying, ‘Look, this is the school.’”

Eva, a social and behavioral sciences student, spent part of the evening helping paint children’s faces. She said seeing the campus and surrounding community come together made the first-year event particularly meaningful.

“It was a great experience just to see everybody come together and have a great time,” Eva said.

Daniela, an art and psychology student who helped plan the event and prepare goodie bags, said even student organizers were surprised by how many families showed up.

“It really shows how much we can do when people come together to make one big thing happen,” Daniela said. She described seeing people eating, talking and students discussing their classes while children participated in activities “everybody bonding in general, which is what we do these events for.”

The Kermés was also part of a broader series of Hispanic Heritage Month activities at MVC focused on culture, identity and community. Puente English Coordinator Emma Pacheco said those efforts have included opportunities for students to reconnect with cultural traditions and “recognize the importance of protecting our community.”

For MVC, events like the Kermés can also serve as an informal introduction to the college for residents who may never have stepped onto campus before. As families celebrated together Friday, they were also spending time in a place where new students do not necessarily have to wait for another traditional semester to begin. MVC offers eight-week courses throughout the academic year, giving students additional opportunities to start or continue their education.

Castro said organizers already hope to see the Kermés return.

“This is just the beginning,” she said. “I truly believe that this is a beginning to the great things that we have in store for them.”