Enchiladas, beans, rice and chorizo - a spicy pork sausage used in Spanish and Mexican cooking - will give students a taste of the Latino culture as Ball State University's Latino Student Union kicks off its week of events with a dinner today.
"This year, we're just trying to grow," Nick Flores, Latino Student Union vice president, said. "We're trying to get our name out to campus."
The purpose of LSU's week is to show that LSU is not just for Latinos but for anyone who wants to learn more about the Latino culture, Sarra Trevino-Norris, LSU's former vice president and current member, said.
"We want to make them more aware of the multicultural activities Ball State is trying to offer," she said.
The cultural dinner, free to all who attend, will take place at 6 p.m. in the Yuhas Room, located in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center.
LSU will co-sponsor the event with Zeta Phi Beta sorority.
Other events this week include a movie night Tuesday, when "The Motorcycle Diaries" will be shown, Trevino-Norris said. Salsa dance lessons, co-sponsored with Zeta Phi Beta, will take place Wednesday, with a game night on Thursday co-sponsored with the Asian American Student Association. A fiesta will take place on Friday featuring music such as salsa, merengue and hip hop.
"Hopefully this week will get us going for our month of events [in March]," Flores said. "Hopefully it will establish us as a big group on campus."
Trevino-Norris said LSU's month of events will allow them to bring in speakers and bands, schedule more cultural dinners and possibly provide a pi+â-â-¦ata-making course.
LSU's events this week should similarly provide learning opportunities and well-rounded entertainment for students.
"Something that attracts everybody on campus," Flores said. "Something that gets everyone on campus excited to go to."
Flores said encouraging students to learn more about other cultures is essential, especially because it helps to promote a tighter Ball State community.
"I just think it's important for people to get involved," Flores said. "It's personal growth - something outside of your own world. It makes you a better person."
Trevino-Norris hopes students will take the time to step outside of their comfort zones this week and experience something different, she said.
"We hope for a really good turnout," she said. "We hope people start coming more to our meetings and learning more about what we're all about. I just encourage everyone to come out and experience our culture and have fun and meet a lot of new friends on campus."
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