Panelists at University of Utah stress passing language, food and education as core Latine traditions

A University of Utah panel held as part of Latine Heritage Month emphasized that education, language and food are central means by which families transmit culture across generations. Moderator David Leon opened the session noting the month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and said the theme that year is “collective heritage.” Panelists described specific family practices they hope to pass to younger relatives and gave examples of how those practices change in new places. The discussion was framed as personal experience rather than institutional positions of the university. Why it matters: panelists tied everyday practices — from family mealtimes to retaining a mother tongue — to cultural survival and wellbeing for first-generation and immigrant families. They said these practices shape identity and resilience in new communities. Panelists described several…