La Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica [Spanish Honor Society] held its induction ceremony for this year’s initiates last month. Along with demonstrating their academic achievement in Spanish, student inductees were required to participate in a community service volunteering event: the Global Stews Potluck Dinner and Celebration. 

Inviting immigrants, refugees, allies, and advocates to attend, the event offered students two volunteer opportunities. Many students attended both days of the event to fulfill the annual 10 hours of service required by the society. Additional requirements include that students must be enrolled in Spanish 3 or higher and must maintain a 3.5 GPA in Spanish and a 3.0 GPA overall. 

During the first day of the event, students helped with preparations by making signs, arranging decorations, and preparing stews from six unique countries and cultures. 

“We cooked soups from all over the world, from Guatemala [to] Africa,” Nyla Shahanavaz, ‘25, said. 

Other students served as translators during the event, pairing themselves with community members of different fluency levels. SENIOR Ella Rentz McCoy volunteered to translate for one volunteer, Soyla, who exclusively spoke Spanish. Together they prepared a Guatemalan soup- Rentz McCoy translating the recipe and Soyla making the stew. 

“I ended up working with [Soyla] all day… and we just bonded,” Rentz McCoy said. “I’ve been around a lot of Spanish speakers but not many people her age, so it was unique to hear her perspective.”

The next day, students served the stews to more than 100 attendees at the Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church. Many spoke Spanish as their native language, allowing students to practice their Spanish-speaking skills with people of different dialects and ethnicities. 

“A lot of [our practice] speaking Spanish is focused in the classroom, but native speakers speak much faster and with more of an accent,” Shahanavaz said. “So it was really cool [to realize] I could understand them and match their energy [while speaking].” 

Shahanavaz believes the event offered students a valuable opportunity to engage with the Spanish-speaking community of Cincinnati. 

“[The Spanish Honor Society] heightened my awareness that there are opportunities to get into the community and speak more Spanish with native speakers,” Shahanavaz said. “Now I get to pursue Spanish on a deeper level and have more worldly discussions in Spanish.” 

Despite a large influx of Spanish speakers entering Cincinnati in recent years, many barriers still exist for immigrants, refugees, and others attempting to integrate into the Cincinnati community. However, Rentz McCoy believes that by participating in events like the Global Stews Potluck, which prioritized accessibility, a more inclusive community can be formed. 

“There’s a lot of stigma around immigration and refugees, and unfortunately we live in a country that’s tried to close [itself] off from people entering, especially [from] Spanish speakers,” Rentz McCoy said. “But I think it’s important to branch out and try to form relationships with people who you wouldn’t normally be able to interact with.”

Rentz McCoy plans to meet with Soyla again and cherishes their bond.  

“I think that we have a lot to learn from not only other generations but other [cultures],” Rentz McCoy said. “And, I think making the effort to learn another language has been one of the best decisions of my life.”