BEMIDJI – The first president’s reception of the 2024-2025 school year at Bemidji State University highlighted the spirit of innovation, resilience and collective progress.
Coined “Unity Uplift: Hispanic/Latine Heritage Celebration,” the event brought together students, faculty and community members on Thursday to celebrate Hispanic culture in the midst of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
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“Buenas tardes a todos, gracias por estar aquí con nosotros,” Associate Campus Diversity Officer Ashley Gomez said in opening. “Good afternoon everyone, thank you for being here with us.”
BSU and Northwest Technical College President John Hoffman detailed the origin of the president’s receptions, an idea he garnered from his time as a faculty member at California State University Fullerton.
“Dr. Mildred Garcia became president (at Fullerton) and she talked in her first year about how institutions need these moments together,” Hoffman said, “to gather together as a community, and this happens in all kinds of spaces. To her, what better space to come together than during our most inclusive moments when we celebrate identity-based history and heritage months?”
BSU has hosted several receptions since March 2023 that have recognized Women’s History Month, National Coming Out Month and Black History Month — each welcoming a guest speaker to the Beaux Arts Ballroom.
As a connection to BSU’s interim head of staff Henoc Preciado, Kevin Ortiz fit the bill for Hispanic Heritage Month.
‘A dream deferred’
Currently serving as the diversity and inclusion consultant at Bank of America, Ortiz and Preciado met in 2016 through their work with the in Washington D.C. The foundation focuses on leadership development for Latin Americans through education, workforce development, social impact and culture.
“Through their infinite wisdom, the foundation decided to bring 30 people from across the country to be a part of a leadership institute. We met throughout the country for an entire year in Florida, Texas, San Francisco,” Preciado detailed, “and every single time, it was just really cool to engage in meaningful development with one another.”
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The pair had kept in touch ever since, providing a seamless segue for Ortiz’ invitation to Bemidji. While introducing Ortiz on Thursday, Preciado noted Ortiz’ Spanish pronunciation of his first name versus its English equivalent – a small reminder of Preciado’s cultural roots.
“Every time I hear (Ortiz) say ‘Henoc,’ I think of home. I think of family, I think of my village, I think of my people,” Preciado said. “As you hear Kevin’s speech, I hope there are moments where his words bring you back to home.”
Ortiz reflected on his personal journey from Mexico to the United States, which his family completed when he was 12 years old.
“We spent two days and two nights walking through the desert of Arizona, and we did that because of love,” Ortiz said. “We did that because my father had done that journey seven years before and it was time for my mother, sister, brother and myself to reunite with him.”
The family would settle in Orlando, Flo., where Ortiz would be reminded of his dream to attend college.
In his junior year of high school, Ortiz took his first non-ESL English class in which he read a poem by Langston Hughes.
“It talked about what happens to a dream deferred,” Ortiz said. “I automatically thought about my dream of going to college and how I knew, deep down in my heart, that when I graduated from high school I was not going to be able to continue that dream. When I came to the U.S., I had come as an undocumented immigrant.”
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Ortiz deferred his dream until six years after high school graduation. For his dream coming true, he credited the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, alongside in-state tuition and scholarships from — a college and career success program that provides scholarships to undocumented students.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida, Ortiz moved to Greensboro, N.C., to work for a bank.
“I did that for three years, and then I realized that I wanted to do something else,” he added, “something bigger.”
Ortiz later earned his Master of Business Administration at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business in 2023. During his time at UNC, he co-created his own leadership development program in partnership with the Carolina Latinx Center:
The institute serves undergraduate students throughout the state who have an interest in Latino culture and community.
As he continues his own work, Ortiz challenged everyone in attendance to be mindful of Hispanic and Latino communities as they continue solidifying their presence in the United States.
“Today, one in four students is Hispanic or Latino. In 2060, one in three Americans will identify as Hispanic or Latino,” Ortiz said. “The Hispanic population is growing, and it is a significant part of the tapestry that is the American experience.”
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Key takeaways
Following Ortiz’ address, attendees enjoyed appetizers before dispersing to the Second Annual El Sabor Latine Block Party outside of the Hobson Memorial Union. Ortiz’ remarks reminded Gomez of her own journey from the Dominican Republic when she was young and drew parallels between her experiences and Ortiz’.
“I think about my parents making a sacrifice, coming to America to offer us a better chance than they had,” she said, adding that she’s proud to share her heritage through her role at BSU. “I’m eternally grateful for being here at Bemidji, being authentically me, sharing that part with students and empowering them to do the same.”
Gomez emphasized key takeaways of the president’s receptions that will continue throughout the school year.
“We are reminded that change isn't just the big moments, but the everyday acts of courage, collaboration and openness. That's what moves us forward,” she left off. “Change does not happen overnight and it does not happen in isolation. We all have the power to become champions of change, to impact the future in both big and small ways.”
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