Latino Student Union celebrates annual Week of Events

Junior Cruz Aleman, a dietitics and Spanish double major, fills up his plate on Sept. 18 at the Fiesta on Green on the University Green. DN PHOTO STEPHANIE AMADOR
Junior Cruz Aleman, a dietitics and Spanish double major, fills up his plate on Sept. 18 at the Fiesta on Green on the University Green. DN PHOTO STEPHANIE AMADOR

Latino Student Union Week of Events:
Monday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. - Salsa lessons with Melodie Carr in the Student Center Ballroom

Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 3 p.m. - LSU at the Scramble Light 

Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. - Immigration talk with Rep. Hales in the Student Center Multipurpose Room

Thursday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. - Potluck dinner at the Multicultural Center


The Latino Student Union kicked off their week of events Friday to celebrate Hispanic culture and heritage with a Fiesta on the Green.

Their events coincide with National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. 

One of the more serious events during the week will be state legislator Cristina Hales speaking on Sept. 23, said LSU president Carlos Mata. Hales is planning to present on current immigration issues and other sensitive topics, including Donald Trump. 

The Black Student Association, American Asian Student Association and the International Ambassador’s Association are also affiliated with this event. Mata said it’s important for other groups to participate in the presentation, because immigration issues aren’t limited to Hispanic people.

“Being an inclusive organization, we need­­­­­ to talk about all [immigration],” Mata said. “If we talk about part of it, then that will leave people out of it, making them think 'Why are we talking about Latinos while there’s others who face immigration?'”

They will also be hosting a salsa dancing night and a potluck at the end of the week. 

Mata said everyone is looking forward to the salsa dancing lesson, which will be held Sept. 21 and led by a dance instructor from Indianapolis.

“When we presented this to our members during our first meeting, they were really excited about it,” Mata said. “It was something that we wanted for a two or three years.”

On Sept. 22, LSU members will be at the Scramble Light at 3 p.m. sharing facts about important people, dates and the overall culture of Latin countries. Members will give out cupcakes and buttons while educating passers-by and playing games.

The final program for LSU’s Week of Events is a potluck dinner, which will be held on Sept. 24 in the multicultural center. LSU Vice President Kirsis Dipre thought up the idea as a way for people to sample foods from different cultures and countries. 

They will have food like authentic tacos, pollo con arroz (chicken with rice), una soup de pollo, (chicken soup) and guacamole. Students make the food themselves, with the ingredients provided by LSU. Dipre said they are trying to represent as many countries as possible at the potluck.

“We want to limit from having food from only one place,” Dipre said. “It’s going to be very fun, very tasteful and diverse.”

They kicked off the week Sept. 18 with Fiesta on the Green, which they have been doing since 2008. They continue to use it as a way to celebrate Latino culture. 

LSU member Cruz Aleman, a junior, said more people came to the fiesta than he had expected. He said the support coincides with issues America is currently facing.

“The best way to unite people is with food for sure,” Aleman said. “A lot of the issues we face in our current time period have a lot to do with immigration and Hispanic Heritage Month, more support we have for that is even better.”

The fiesta was held on University Green, with a DJ playing Hispanic music, including mariachi, bachata, reggaeton and pop songs. Attendees chose from a buffet of tacos, churros and fried rice, with avocados and other condiments.

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