HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - The Campus Center at Holyoke Community College was bustling Wednesday as the college continues to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. The city of Holyoke has the largest Puerto Rican population per capita outside of the island and HCC's Latinx Fiesta offered students and faculty alike a piece of home. "I'm a proud Puerto Rican and so are all of us, so we are just kind of excited to showcase our culture for everybody to enjoy," Mishie Serrano, a junior and member of the Latinx Empowerment Association expressed. Each fiesta table represented a different country under the Latinx umbrella. Students like Mishie were able to teach others at this Hispanic-serving institution about her culture, customs, and traditions. Latinx Studies Professor Raúl Gutiérrez told 22News that this event allows the community to engage in meaningful conversations that enable reflections on the multiple facets of their identities. "Everyone's willing to try stuff," said Professor Gutiérrez. "And they said, 'Can I take a flag even though I'm not Mexican?' And so sure so there is this acceptance and kind of like understanding of different cultures in different communities with college." "Having those little opportunities to tell people who you are and having other people figure out just how cool it is and how different everyone is," says Raven Carrasquilla, a sophomore at HCC. "That's something we can all use to connect and talk about and build upon." From Pan Sabao in Puerto Rico to Besitos de Coco from Nicaragua, or Croquestas from Cuba.... Mishie says, "Even if it is just through food, we are still educating people on our culture. We're still being educated as we have conversations with folks and the community is a big part, especially about Hispanic and Latino culture, So the fact that we're able to be in the community, share with the community, and enjoy our community is very, very important for us." This cultural exchange allows students to develop a better understanding and deeper appreciation of Latin American culture. "It's important to have these events because students might not feel that front and center in different spaces of creating these, at least like it feels like home and it creates belonging," says Professor Gutiérrez. To wrap up Hispanic Heritage Month, HCC will host a panel presentation supporting both Hispanic Heritage Month and Deaf Awareness Month in the Leslie Phillips Theater. For more information on HCC events, click here.