“Green Drinks” Celebrates Latinx Heritage Month With Upcycled Piñatas!

2022 has been exciting, as we have been able to get back to gathering in-person for our various events: Earth Day, the Green Tour, Power Hour, and one of our favorites — the Green Drinks series! Green Drinks is an international concept that brings people together to learn about sustainability efforts. Here in Central Oregon, The Environmental Center has coordinated Green Drinks events since 2007. While the format and focus of Green Drinks has shifted over the past few years, the purpose remains the same: to bring people together to learn, discuss, and advance a sustainable future for everyone in Central Oregon.

This past week, we teamed up with Central Oregon Community College’s department of Diversity and Inclusion to host two days of upcycled piñata making in celebration of Latinx Heritage Month. A local Latina artist, Agla, led participants of all ages in a step by step process to make a beautiful piñata out of recycled materials, which fit right in with our efforts here at The Environmental Center to showcase ways to live a low-waste lifestyle! The base of each piñata was created from rescued cardboard from the recycling bin.

Check out the gallery below to see the beautiful upcycled piñatas come to life!

Here is what the event organizers had to say about this special event, and about Latinx Heritage Month:

“This month-long celebration seeks to honor the rich histories and contributions of Latinx in the United States and coincides with the Independence Days of many countries across Latin America. We love any opportunity to celebrate our diverse communities and stories. It’s up to each of us to be an ally year-round and continue the spirit of learning, honoring, celebrating, and supporting the work of our communities every day.” ~Priscilla Calleros, Events & Outreach Manager at The Environmental Center

“For me, in my role, it’s about being able to provide events that share and celebrate Latinx culture for the community. Sustainability, being one aspect, made it an easy yes to partner with The Environmental Center. It was great to see participants smiling as they walked away with their upcycled piñatas.” ~Jacqueline Ruggieri, Latinx Student Program Coordinator at the COCC department of Diversity & Inclusion

“It was an excellent event for the community to come together and unleash their inner artist and learn that a simple tissue box can be upcycled to be a piñata.” ~Agla, artist who led the workshops

Thank you to our partners, COCC, artist Agla, volunteers, and attendees. We’ll see you at the next Green Drinks – coming in November!