21st TSC celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

The 21st Theater Sustainment Command hosted a Hispanic Heritage celebration commemorating the history and culture of Hispanic-Americans with a guest speaker, a food tasting, and music and dance demonstrations at the Kaiserslautern Community Activity Center Oct. 7 on Daenner Kaserne.

October is Hispanic Heritage Month and the theme for this year is ‘Energizing Our Nation’s Diversity.’

After a brief historical presentation about Hispanic leaders and military service, guest speaker Sgt. Major Michael Ledesma, 21st TSC G-1 noncommissioned officer in charge, discussed his upbringing in a Hispanic family in Texas where family, even extended family, played a large role.

“In our family, and in a lot of Hispanic families, there’s not really such a thing as an extended family, they’re all just family,” Ledesma said. “Grandmas, uncles, aunts, they were all as important as mom and dad in our family. And with my grandmother, when she talked you better listen!”

Ledesma also touched on topics of military service; and not only the role of Hispanics in the service, but the role that leaders of Hispanics in the military can play in the professional development of those Soldiers.

“When I was a young Soldier, it was a mark of pride not to need help. Even if I really needed help, I’d never ask,” Ledesma said. “It may not be the best way, but that’s the way I was, and that’s the way a lot of young Hispanic Soldiers are now too. They aren’t going to ask you for help; you’re going to have to know as leaders when they need it.”

Ledesma’s comments were followed by a performance of a traditional ‘Cumbia,’ a type of Mexican song, by Angela Chavarria. The formal celebration culminated with a salsa demonstration, after which guests were invited to sample Mexican food provided by a local restaurant.