National Hispanic Heritage Month began on September 15 and runs through the middle of October. Valeria Zaruma '27 , who is a community assistant (CA) in the MacClosky Square townhouses, wanted to do something special for her residents connected to her Ecuadorian heritage. Her experience as a CA has taught her that nothing brings people together like food.
The name empanada comes from the Spanish verb empanar, which translates to "wrap in bread." Almost any ingredient can be stuffed into folded dough and baked or fried to golden brown perfection. Empanadas are popular throughout Latin America, and in each country, there tends to be regional preferences. Valeria, who grew up in Westchester County, though her parents both immigrated from Ecuador, likes her empanadas filled with bananas.
"People can make empanadas out of anything. My family typically does it with cheese, but as a kid, for some reason, I wanted something different. So my mom would make me empanadas with bananas. She'd sprinkle sugar on top. It's just the most savory, sweet treat."
Valeria's not sure Siena is ready for the bananas, but her mom's cheesy empanadas? Those are being delivered to lucky residents in the townhouses tonight.
Earlier this month, Valeria reached out to Siena Fresh Director Amanda Greco who was more than happy to assist. Valeria shared her mom's empanada recipe with Amanda, and Amanda came through with the ingredients and kitchen support. This afternoon at Massry Dining Hall, Valeria made nearly 50 empanadas alongside two Siena chefs, including Chef Rosie who is Dominican.
"I'm very proud of my cultural background," said Valeria, who still has family in Ecuador. She's visited twice, including last Christmas. "I believe your heritage shapes you. I would never hide my cultural identity, it makes me who I am. That's why I try to connect my heritage to the programs I run for my residents." Valeria won the Community Living Programmer of the Year award two years ago.
Three years ago this month, when Valeria moved onto campus as a freshman, she looked around and "didn't see anyone who looked like me." She panicked and considered transferring. But...
"I found myself in that first week and I found my people. At no point did I feel like I didn't fit in. Back home, I only had Hispanic friends. But at Siena, my friend group is White, Black, and Asian. I'm living with three girls this year: one is Mexican/Colombian, one is Peruvian, and then there's the White/Irish girl we adopted," she says with a laugh.
Valeria, a communications-marketing major with a minor in international studies, also notes that Siena has gotten more diverse since her freshman year. Still, she has plenty of friends who have never experienced the flaky deliciousness of a homemade Ecuadorian empanada. For the lucky few dozen, that's going to change in a couple of hours.