From New York to the Nation: Háblame Dulce Amplifies Latinx Voices and Artists in Heritage Month Celebration
By Nadgeena Jerome
Dominican American Professor Shirley Reynozo (pictured right)
The energy at Baruch College in New York City on September 30, 2025, was electric. Students, artists, and community members gathered for Háblame Dulce, a night where music, poetry, and art collided in a dazzling showcase of Latinx heritage. It was a celebration filled with rhythm, laughter, and soul, but it was also a statement of resistance and pride.
The evening unfolded under Baruch’s theme De Aquí y de Allá: Rooted in Heritage, Rising in Resistance, a local reflection of the national Hispanic Heritage Month theme Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future. While the national spotlight called for honoring history, Baruch’s showcase pushed the message further, affirming that heritage is not only memory but also activism. Háblame Dulce is the vision of Professor Shirley Reynozo from the Black and Latino Studies Department, as well as her colleagues throughout the institution.
“Es un honor poder celebrar nuestros estudiantes y nuestra cultura. Como parte del Departamento de Black & Latino Studies, este evento nos permite seguir con el legado de nuestra misión: poner en el centro el conocimiento y las contribuciones de nuestras comunidades negras y latinas y sus diasporas . Valoramos profundamente sus aportes intelectuales, culturales y sociales, y sabemos que ellos nos inspiran a soñar y crear juntos.” - Professor Shirley Reynozo.
The performances glowed with heart. Baruch’s own student poets Jaden Diaz, Eliezer Castro, Maria Marin, Youssif Fayez, and Ariel Tavares delivered intimate verses about migration and identity, setting the tone for the night. Then came headliner Sejahari Saulter-Villegas, whose magnetic presence and unapologetic storytelling had the audience hanging onto every line.
Art filled the walls, thanks to visual storytellers Kailey Mendoza, Leslie Fortuna, and Miguel Trelles. Their pieces created a gallery within the celebration, where ancestral echoes met the contemporary pulse of New York City.
Student poets Jaden Diaz (left) and Youssif Fayez (right) represented Puerto Rico and Colombia
But it was the music that turned the showcase into a full-on experience. Professor Reynozo, also known as DJ Møya Rey, kept the crowd on its feet with a curated Háblame Dulce mix now streaming on SoundCloud. Rising black and Puerto Rican talent Leaf lit up the stage with her Jersey club and sexy drill vibes with the same charisma that has earned her almost 200,000 Instagram followers. Her performance was bold, playful, and alive with the energy of a star stepping into her moment. Dominican American dembow singer Lui Nai shifted the mood with energy that resonated deeply, a reflection of the bilingual, bicultural lives of many in the audience. Her Instagram followers followed along virtually as the crowd swayed in the room.
Closing out the night, Sanctuario Musica, also known as Sanctuario (Mónica & Okai), blended tradition with fresh, contemporary sounds. did an Afro diaspora dance workshop, where they united Dominican and Haitian cultures with a little salsa, merengue, and palos. The group’s Instagram fans have already embraced their unique style, and so did the audience, which danced until the very last note.
Black and Puerto Rican musical artist Leaf performs at Baruch’s Hablame Dulce event
The showcase was not only about performance but also about community. Food, games, and interactive activities filled the space, turning Baruch into a living room of culture where people laughed, connected, and celebrated together.
Reynozo couldn’t do it on her own. It took the community all across campus to bring it to life. From campus clubs to numerous departments, her enthusiastic vision was magnetic. Support came from departments such as the Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program, Academic Advising, Black Male Initiative, and the Office of Student Life. Clubs such as WBMB, ISLA, UMLA , LASO, PRSS, and the Ticker also showed their engagement. Numerous student volunteers ensured to lend a hand in decorating the space. Student Frasherly Genaosalas even used her balloon art business to amplify the space (@balloons.byfra).
In a time when Latinx communities across the country face challenges tied to immigration and representation, Háblame Dulce felt like both a homecoming and a rallying cry. From the art on the walls to the words on stage, the night reminded everyone that heritage is not static. It is alive, evolving, and unstoppable.
From New York City to the national stage, Háblame Dulce was proof that when Latinx voices are amplified, they do more than celebrate culture. They inspire the future.
Student poet Maria Marin represented Colombia
Photography: Christian Gonzalez @Chrissvision
