¡Vamos al Repertorio! Kent Place Community Celebrates LatinX Culture

On Wednesday, September 25, the Great Room was transformed into “Repertorio Español” — the nation's preeminent LatinX theater — for Kent Place’s annual LatinX Night celebration. The evening was hosted by the school’s Diversity and Equity Parent Group (DEPG). Natalia Espejo P ’34’37 and Sandra Medina, who teaches Spanish in the Upper School and is the World Language Chair for seventh to twelfth grades, organized the event, with support from students in the Latin American Cultural Association. Showcased were poetry, art, food, music, and dance. 

“As a member of the Hispanic community, this event means so much to me and is something I always look forward to,” says Mariana Pirez Ramirez ’26. “It’s a time to come together and acknowledge how beautiful the Hispanic/LatinX community is. This year I had the opportunity (along with the other two leaders of the Latin American Cultural Association) to work alongside DEPG to organize this event. LatinX Night is a great way to show the school what our culture is all about.”

As community members gathered to enjoy authentic Latino food, the Hummingbirds opened performances with a rendition of “El Vito,” arranged for chorus by Emily Crocker. Luis Largo, Upper School teacher, recited “A Solas,” by Ismael Enrique Arciniegas, and dedicated the poem to his mother. Corynne Watkins ’25 then sang “Recently,” by Liana Flores, followed by a dance performance from Sienna Cruz-Espejo ’34 and Ellina Cruz-Espejo ’37. Anabella Mendieta-Frost ’26 read “Cultivo una Rosa Blanca,” by José Martí, and then Yuting An ’34 performed “Fiesta España” on the piano. Spanish-speaking Middle Schoolers Aditi Bharatwaj ’30, Zara Sharma ’30, Clara Wetzel ’30, Ava Soares ’30, and Remi Dustin ’30 led everyone in Hispanic-heritage trivia questions. 

Mariana sang “Remember Me,” from the film Coco, accompanying herself on the guitar. “The decision to sing the song in both English and Spanish shows how versatile music from the Hispanic community can be,” she says. “In the Latino culture, live music is very common. It’s a way to connect and celebrate with one another. Performances with live instruments, especially when it’s just one or two, add a level of intimacy that enables everyone to feel closer to the music, and guitars are very common in Latin American culture. This inspired me to play guitar while I sang, and connect more closely with the audience.”

The community then danced the night away to a lively performance from the Dominican teen band DNX4.