26 Sep Pittsburg Teens Celebrate Quinceañeras, Hispanic Heritage Month at Library Event

Fany Randeras was among the local Latina teens who celebrated their quinceñeras at a special Hispanic Heritage Month event at the Pittsburg library.

Photo Essay, Emily Molina

Teens dressed in colorful, princess-style dresses and bright tiaras gathered at the Pittsburg Library this month to take part in a beloved coming-of-age celebration, the quinceañera. 

The rich tradition of the quinceaños, or 15th birthday, is a major milestone for Latina girls. They mark their transition to maturity by wearing elegant dresses, ceremonially changing from flat to high-heeled shoes, and receiving their “last doll,” which they might then pass on to a younger girl. The celebration also features dancing to mariachi serenades.

 

“I wanted to include the teens in our celebrations, and what better way to celebrate their quinceañera,” said Rosa LaSalle,  teen and adult librarian at the Pittsburg Library, who organized the event as part of Hispanic Heritage Month programming.

 

One of the teens, Janeth Alvarado, wore a crimson red, sparkly dress embroidered with golden flowers as she danced with her father, Miguel Alvarado, to old Mexican ballads. 

 

Her dad thanked the organizers for hosting a celebration for the teens to enjoy while also learning more about the tradition. 

“Even though our children are born here, it’s important that they know their culture and they continue to preserve it,” Alvarado said, “especially in this time when they want to erase us as a culture.”

 

Another participant, Yolanda, dressed in a spring lilac dress with rhinestone flowers, smiled at her parents during the mariachi serenades. Her mother, Migdalia, followed close behind her, poofing up her dress and taking plenty of pictures of the short celebration. Yolanda and Migdalia declined to give their last names.

Although Yolanda turned 16 years old in February, Migdalia said she hadn’t been able to afford a full quinceañera celebration. Even with a small celebration inside the library, Yolanda said she was grateful to experience all of the traditional elements. 

 

She learned about the opportunity through her internship at People Who Care, a youth-empowerment organization in Pittsburg, which co-hosted the free event.  

Fany Randeras also took part, showing off her frosting pink dress with an eye-catching tiara. Her parents participated in the celebration as well. They want their daughter to experience the special traditional dances and attire with other Latinas.

 

Adstiri Hernandez, program facilitator at People Who Care, was glad to collaborate with LaSalle in showcasing a rich tradition in the community.

“I want the whole community to know that we’re united and that our culture is still alive,” said Hernandez. 

Each teen wore a decorative, bright dress with a matching bouquet of flowers, all loaned from Martha’s Boutique, while funding for the live mariachi came from the Friends of the Pittsburg Library.

 

As part of its Hispanic Heritage Month festivities, the Pittsburg Library is also hosting a special exhibition, “Quinceñera Memories: Stories from Our Community,” inviting Latina residents to share photos and reflections from their own quiceañera celebrations.