Voces Unidas 2024: A celebration of the diversity of Hispanic Americans

On Wednesday, Oct. 23, Montgomery Blair High School hosted Voces Unidas, a schoolwide show in the Blair auditorium featuring dances, songs, and poetry recitations in celebration of Hispanic American heritage and culture. The night was vibrant and energetic, leaving the audience clapping and cheering until its end.

Voces Unidas has been an annual event at Blair for several years, intended to honor National Hispanic Heritage Month, which lasts from September 15 to October 15. The month was officialized by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, after having previously been observed for only a week, and recognizes the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans of Spanish, Mexican, Caribbean, Central American, and South American descent.

María Eugenia Tanos, a Spanish teacher and the faculty advisor for La Esquina Latina, Blair’s Spanish language news publication, led the charge and coordinated the students and staff that worked on the show. As the years have gone by, Tanos has watched the show develop over time. “It started I think seven years ago, even before I was here, as something kind of small, and it’s been growing and growing,” she says. “So every year, it gets a little longer, a little better, a little more.”

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Photo: Voces Unidas

Voces Unidas Photo courtesy of Beck Rowe.

This year’s show began with a chorus’ soulful rendition of the melancholic ballad, “Luna de Xelajú.” Following the emotional opening act, Angela Martínez-González and Kim Solís recited the poem “Cultivo una Rosa Blanca” by José Marti. Afterward, senior Josias Gómez Castro sang “Mi País” by Guillermo Anderson. Then Cindis Hernández, Beatriz Hernández, and Yesenia López Ramírez performed a Cumbia dance. The performances continued throughout the evening, twenty-two acts in total. The night finished with a few songs from the marching band and a spirited flag parade.

Many acts represented specific countries and cultures, with performers brandishing flags and screens displaying alluring visuals of different places across Latin America. Dances included Huapango, Bachata, Merengue, Punta, and others from Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and El Salvador. Likewise, songs and poems were pulled from a broad range of artists and writers.

Voces Unidas highlighted the immense diversity of the Hispanic population within Blair, which accounts for a large portion of the overall student body. Freshman Heidi Arevalo, who was a cachiporra, or Salvadoran cheerleader-dancer, in the production, appreciates how the show expanded on the typical definition of “Hispanic.” “Voces Unidas shows that we’re not all so-called ‘Mexicans,’” she says. “I think it’s good to show the different countries we’re all from.”

In addition to debunking misconceptions, Tanos believes that the show’s importance lies to a great degree in how it has given students a platform to show off their unique abilities. “Voces Unidas is an opportunity for our community to celebrate our Hispanic culture,” she says. “But it is also an opportunity for our students to be able to perform and to showcase their talent because sometimes they do not have these venues.”

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Photo: Voces Unidas

Voces Unidas Photo courtesy of Beck Rowe.

Castro explains that one of the most valuable parts of his experience as a member of the production was getting to know other Blazers from a variety of different cultures. “It was very exciting working with people from other countries you [had never known] anyone from before,” he says. “And it was really nice because you can do things from your own country that you feel comfortable doing.”

While it undoubtedly paid off in the end, a lot of work was put into the show. Countless performers, stage crew members, and staff worked tirelessly to put together the final product.

Altogether, Tanos most treasures how she has been able to witness so many Blazers shine on stage. “It’s really one of the most beautiful things to see the students flourish and to take that opportunity and grow,” she says. “To see them become a lot more serious about the show and then to see the end result. It’s amazing.”

Make sure to look out for Voces Unidas again next year in fall of 2025!