Graphic by Maya Uribe
By Miggy Aguilar and Melisa Rodriguez
On Sep. 12 ASI held their long-awaited El Mercadito y Los Gritos event in celebration of Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Week here at CI! The event served to give students the chance to enjoy an evening with food trucks, games, dancing, giveaways and a DJ, all while supporting local Latinx businesses. From 6-9 p.m. at Central Mall, The CI View had the unique opportunity to witness what the exciting event had to offer. One aspect of the event that was important not only to our campus, but to the entire Ventura County community was the Student Programming Board’s collaboration with local vendors to make the evening a night to remember.
We spoke with a number of local businesses about their experience promoting their brand with students at El Mercadito y Los Gritos. Among the small businesses, we had the chance to speak with Nathalie Swader, a German designer and Global Studies major, who graduated from CI in the spring semester of 2023. Swader spoke to her time participating in open markets at CI both as a student and now as a graduate by explaining that, “As a former student myself, it’s really close to the community, and I love seeing younger people that just started studying, and their trends, what they like, and it’s really great to see how they love supporting us vendors too. It really goes hand in hand.” It was Swader’s third time promoting her business, Nathalie’s Atelier, at an event on CI’s campus.
Swader continued by telling us about her goals for spreading her brand to students at CI. “So I’m an earring designer, I mostly do handmade jewelry, mostly with polymer clay, and then I also started designing them on an iPad to be cut with a laser cutter, but I also make ceramics, so it really ranges from creating art for your ears, hoping that this jewelry brings joy to you by having very colorful statement pieces and things that make you feel confident,” Swader said with passion. “And as a global studies major, I’m very passionate about human rights and women’s rights. From the very moment that I started my business four years ago, I started actually donating to women’s rights organizations and cancer research, so different things to try and benefit the greater good,” Swader said with regards to the impact of her business at both the local and international level.
Students from CI are excited for the opportunity to experience more diverse and inclusive events on campus. Alejandro Colmenero, a senior sociology major, attended for the first time this year. Alejandro shared, “I had heard from peers and even professors who attended the event last year that it was a nice event, so I decided to come and check it out myself.” He was impressed by the range of local vendors, noting that “There was a good variety of products too, so there’s something for everyone.” Alejandro highlighted the welcoming atmosphere and the event’s ability to foster connections between students and the university, saying, “This event feels really welcoming. There’s something for everyone to enjoy from the food to the music.” He emphasized the importance of such events for supporting small businesses, stating, “It’s a good opportunity for them to get their products out there. I see it as a way to connect the local community further with the university.” Reflecting on the experience Alejandro concluded, “I probably would recommend El Mercadito to other students because it’s a great event and a nice atmosphere.”
Events on campus such as El Mercadito continue to serve as a valuable event that not only highlights the talents of local vendors but also fosters a sense of community between students, faculty and the surrounding area. With its vibrant atmosphere, diverse offerings and the opportunity to connect with local businesses. The event has become a staple on campus, drawing in attendees year after year. Be sure to watch our broadcasting piece on the event this week for more information and fun!
Broadcasting by Ashley Tolteca
