Courtesy of Elaine Sandoval Carrasco ’28
On a clear Saturday morning in late September, the usually quiet streets of downtown New London transformed into a stage of color, sound, and celebration. The Hispanic Heritage Celebration of New London began with its familiar energy at Parade Plaza, where local clubs, families, dancers, and food vendors gathered to honor the richness of Latin American and Caribbean culture.
Among the first to arrive were members of the Las Voces Unidas Club, an affinity organization from Connecticut College committed to fostering belonging and visibility for Latine students and allies on campus. They awakened early to board two Camel Vans, transportation provided by the Holleran Center for Community Action, and by 10 a.m. they were already hard at work carrying tables, lifting tents, and hanging flags. With smiles and determination, students helped community members unload cars packed with the tools of celebration. As they started hanging streamers, unpacking cultural displays, raising the scarlet, green, yellow, and blue flags of Latin America, the plaza slowly became a canvas of Hispanic heritage.
Just as the first banners were tied and the plaza was coming into shape, a sharp disruption occurred on the edge of the festivities. Outside the closed Nathan Hale Schoolhouse on Atlantic Street, local police intercepted two men and placed them in handcuffs. The scene, unfolding within view of Parade Plaza, startled early participants.
By noon, the air was thick with scent and flavor. Food trucks rolled in, sparking a growing crowd. Ta’ Deliciozo, popular for its açai bowls and fruit shakes, had a line forming before the window even slid open. El Bori Food Truck soon joined, sending aromas of Puerto Rican specialties across the plaza. As plates were served, the word spread down State Street: the celebration had begun. Members of the college community began arriving in groups; all waiting to eat, watch, and participate in what has become one of New London’s most anticipated annual events.
The voices of vendors, calling out orders, laughing with customers, mixed with the bass rhythms rolling from Plaza loudspeakers. Children ran between tables, faces painted, holding small flags.
What drew the largest audience that day were the dances performed by New London’s vibrant cultural groups, each showcasing traditions honed over months of rehearsal. The applause was unrelenting. Spectators clapped not just on beat but in gratitude. Between dances, many walked toward the dessert table, where local chef Alanna Jerez had set out trays of arroz con leche and other homemade sweets; simple yet beloved comfort foods linking generations in the local New London Hispanic community.
The stage then welcomed Miss Puerto Rico and Little Miss Puerto Rico, who performed the very dance numbers that had secured their crowns. Their elegance and discipline moved the audience beyond admiration into a standing ovation. Young girls along the front row stood on tiptoes, eyes wide, clapping eagerly, perhaps seeing in those crowns a reflection of themselves.
Courtesy of Elaine Sandoval Carrasco ’28
As the sun climbed high, the energy reached its peak. A Latine orchestra took the stage and quickly pulled the plaza into motion. Salsa, cumbia peruana, and merengue filled the air. Even global hits by Karol G made their way into the setlist, reminding everyone that heritage is not only about history but also about evolution and connection to the present moment. What followed was pure joy: families dancing, elders keeping rhythm with their palms, students spinning in circles under flags that waved over the plaza’s heart. It was a day not only of food and performance, the organizers said, but of shared belonging.
Toward the event’s closing ceremonies, the organizers turned to a piece that carried deeper meaning and told the audience to listen carefully to the lyrics. A community dance group performed to Latinoamérica by Calle 13, a modern anthem of resilience and pride. Lyrics such as “Soy el desarrollo en carne viva, un discurso político sin saliva” rang out. In English, this line translates to: “I am development embodied, a political speech without saliva.” It is a cry of authenticity, a refusal to be silenced or reduced to empty rhetoric. For Latine communities in 2025, navigating economic, political, and cultural challenges, the words carried the weight of lived truth.
Finally, the chorus declared: “Aquí se respira lucha”—“Here one breathes struggle.” Yet the faces in New London that Saturday revealed how struggle transforms into art, pride, and endurance. The dance ended in roaring applause, the voices of many affirming a shared belonging in the city.
For New London, 2025 has been a difficult year marked by economic uncertainty, immigration anxieties, and cultural divisions. Yet the Hispanic Heritage Celebration of New London stood as a refusal to let hardship define community spirit.
By early evening, as vendors packed their supplies and families began making their way home, Parade Plaza gradually emptied. The afternoon warmth gave way to a cooler breeze moving in from the Thames River, signaling the close of the day’s festivities. With tables folded, banners taken down, and the plaza returned to calm, New London’s annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration concluded for another year, leaving behind the imprint of music, food, and community on the city’s downtown streets.
