September 15 to October 15 marks Hispanic Heritage Month. The official slogan for 2026 is “Unidos, somos más” (“Together, we are more”). Promoting unity in a world that has come to be defined by division and strife, we also celebrate Hispanic culture in all its beauty and variety. Food, music, dance, literature, film, art, and artisanal crafts are among the myriad of ways in which Hispanic culture adds to the richness of our society.
Nevertheless, many people whose creations enrich our world find themselves living in countries where hunger and poverty define their daily existence. Such is the case of the Central American artisans whose crafts are promoted by the Pulsera Project, a non-profit group that supports fair trade, employing over 200 artisans from the region and selling their crafts at schools and universities in the United States. The Project also uses the proceeds for education, housing, healthcare, environmental programs scholarships, workers’ rights, and social enterprise.
This year, SVU student Amirrah Hoffman, who serves as the President of our chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, The National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, decided that we would host the Pulsera Project, which partners with Sigma Delta Pi, and sell “pulseras” or handcrafted bracelets on campus from October 1–14 to both celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and raise money for the humanitarian cause. Amirrah has worked hard to organize the sale and bring the “pulseras” to SVU, and we look forward to seeing their bright colors adorn our campus and enrich our lives with their beauty. May the bracelets also serve as constant reminders that lead us towards gratitude for all we have as we remember those who are living lives marked by hardship and adversity. May they also inspire us to keep helping our brothers and sisters as Christ would have us do.