What is the difference between Spanish and Mexican food?

Who is Juan de la Cruz and what is his dark night of the soul?

Who were Eva Peron and Simon Bolivar?

Tuesday night, La Communidad, the IMPACT learning community and Residence Life provided students answers to these questions by hosting an evening of Hispanic culture and intellectual thought.

Members of the IMPACT learning community, a group of students dedicated to learning through reading and discussion, read books about Hispanic culture, political and religious thought. Twenty-two students prepared short presentations on the major themes and arguments of each one’s novel.

Participants had the opportunity to walk through the room and listen to 15 minute presentations about these Hispanic books.

Books ranged from plays by Lope de Vega, to biographical novels about famous Hispanics such as Cesar Chavez and Simon Bolivar, to religious stories by Juan de la Cruz.

Students also listened to presentations by members of La Communidad, a group of students dedicated to learning about Hispanic culture. These presentations explained parts of Hispanic culture, food and dance.

The presentations also addressed the differences between different divisions of Hispanic culture such as Spanish culture, Mexican culture, and Latin American culture.

The night concluded with a traditional Hispanic dinner prepared by University Dining Services.

For Brittany Raburn, a member of the IMPACT learning community, the evening was a good experience.

“I really enjoyed learning about the Hispanic authors and their different opinions of the world,” she said. “You do not always have the opportunity to learn about so many interesting people and ideas all in one night.”