By Jennifer T. Allen 

Having grown up in Mexico until the age of seven and traveling from Lexington to Aguascalientes often, Vanessa Diaz missed speaking Spanish when she came to the University of Kentucky. As a junior, she found Hay Que Hablar, a student-run Spanish speaking club housed in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Hispanic Studies. 

“I love getting together and being able to talk in Spanish,” she said. “One of the things that I always say is that it can get tiring to speak in English all of the time.”  

Diaz, a first-generation student, earned her bachelor’s degree from UK in public health in 2023 and is currently working toward her master’s in public health with a concentration on health behaviors. Being first-generation, Diaz relied on financial aid and chose UK due to its proximity and affordability.  

“My parents always stressed that they came to the United States to provide a better life for my brother and myself so we could have better opportunities than they did,” Diaz said. “So college was always the next step for us after high school.”  

Starting college in 2019 meant the university shut down quickly due to the Covid pandemic and didn’t fully reopen until Diaz’s junior year. She was invited by some friends to go to a Hay Que Hablar meeting, and she’s been involved ever since – currently serving as president of the club.  

“I started going as frequently as I could. I got to know the people and really enjoyed speaking in Spanish. It’s our native language so it’s what we revert to naturally and it makes us more comfortable,” Diaz said.  

Hay Que Hablar meets two times a month in the Lewis Honors College. The club is open to native Spanish speakers as well as those learning Spanish and looking for a place to practice. Meetings focus on social activities as well as include an educational component centered on Latinx culture and current events in Latin America.  

“We have had students whose family heritage is from Mexico, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Honduras, and Argentina. It’s a really good way for people to stay in touch with their culture and learn about other Latinx cultures,” Diaz said. “We have a small Latinx population on campus and this is a space where we can come and talk in our native language and make connections.” 

Diaz also stressed the importance for Spanish language learners to practice with native speakers.  

“It’s a great way for them to learn,” she said. “To seriously learn a language, you must practice it and speak it with people who know it too. One benefit of practicing with native speakers is you also get introduced to some of the slang and informal ways of speaking, as well as learning about different dialects from other countries.”  

Diaz loves seeing the Latinx community growing at UK. 

“I feel like this year I’ve seen more Latinos on campus than when I started as a freshman. I always like telling them that even if you feel like college is going to be impossible, as long as you apply yourself, you’re going to make it,” she said. “I’m Latina and I’m first generation and I made it. It’s kind of incredible to see how far I’ve come.”  

When asked what advice Diaz would give incoming Latinx students, she stressed not being afraid to be yourself.  

“I would tell them to not be afraid to take up space. It’s very easy to be intimidated, especially in class. To this day, I am usually the only Latina in my classes, so sometimes it’s scary to speak up and express my ideas,” Diaz said. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions because if you really don’t know what you are doing and you don’t get the help you need, then you’re not going to succeed, or it’ll be harder to succeed.”  

To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Hay Que Hablar will be hosting Hay Que Bailar (Let’s Dance) on Tuesday, Oct. 1, from 4 – 6 p.m. in the Gatton Student Center Grand Ballroom. Students can enjoy snacks and learn different Latin American dances.  

“There is a popular Honduran dance called Punta, which means ‘point’ and the dance is done on your tippy toes. In the past, we’ve had fellow Honduran students teach us,” Diaz said. “We hope students will come out to learn more about Latin American culture and have some fun with us.”  

Learn more about Hay Que Hablar and their events by following their Instagram: hayquehablaruk.