The Office of Student Affairs and the Promise Program at San Diego City College will welcome students to bring their family and friends to “Noche de Familia” on Sept. 20, from 5-7:30 p.m., according to a flyer sent to faculty via email. 

Upon checking in on the A building terrace, the first 100 registered attendees will take home exclusive “Si, vale la pena” sweaters and all attendees will receive raffle tickets to win bookstore, gas, and grocery gift cards.

“Si, vale la pena,” which translates to “yes, it is worth it,” is the theme for Chicanx and Latinx Heritage Month events this year, according to Clarissa Padilla, outreach coordinator at City College and “Noche de Familia” organizer.

“The point of ‘si, vale la pena’ is, it is worth it. It is worth the pain, it is worth the struggles, it is worth all those late nights,” says Padilla, “…all of that is part of the struggle, but it really is a part of your transformation and your development, not just for yourself, but for your family and future generations.”

The event will open with a welcome greeting, parent testimonials and a student panel. 

After the student panel, students and their families will have the option to attend a couple of workshops. 

Dr. Lisa Will, professor of physics and astronomy at City College, will be offering a planetarium show that will go over Mesoamerican astronomy and show viewers what’s in the sky that night as well as what’s visible in Mexico at the same time.

The Impala Car Club will be offering a workshop on the history of lowriders, and will bring lowriders to campus.

There will also be a resource fair and activities for kids.

“Usually first generation, marginalized communities feel like they are othered on a college campus or that they don’t belong on a college campus,” Padilla said.

“’Noche De Familia’ is meant to counter all of that to say: you belong here, your family belongs here, you deserve to be celebrated as a college student.”