Latino Cultural Center by Ana V. '15

Hidden from most of the hustle and bustle of classes and rushing to the next thing in life via the infinite corridor is the basement of the student center. This is home to a post office, dry cleaners, the ID card office, and most importantly, the Latino Cultural Center’s office and lounge. It may feel somewhat eerie the first time you go down there (maybe it’s just a basement thing), but after being officially involved on the LCC board for a semester, it’s become that place where I go in between classes to have a cup of coffee, get going on my to do list, take a nap, or just catch up with people. Depending on the late-night energy, sometimes this involves people serenading each other with a mariachi hat and jacket.

We even decorate it nicely for the holidays, see?

In any case, the LCC exists simply to promote and support all of the Latino organizations on campus, which include MAES (focuses on professional development and outreach), LUChA (focuses on culture and academics), Casino Rueda (instruction and performances of different salsa dance styles), APR (association of Puerto Rican students), SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers), and Mujeres Latinas (Latina Women).

We, together with the groups mentioned above, organize events such as Cena a Las Seis (Dinner at 6), which happen(s)/ed during parent’s weekend in October….

(& By the way, meet Franky ’15. I met him during CPW a number of years ago that I won’t bother to calculate for the sake of not feeling old. Here he is scolding me for not blogging in an eternity…)

Back to Cena a las Seis, though. The whole MIT community including parents are always invited. This year’s was pretty fantastic. Except for the part where we ran out of food towards the end. (No, I am not responsible.)

But hey, at least even if you didn’t get to eat everything you wanted, you still got a show! Here is Diana R ’15, (prez of the LCC) doing some ballet folklorico.

Usually it’s held in Walker Memorial, the same building where a significant number of exams are held (on a higher floor). The change of mood is quite interesting. :)

Ready for this? Now jump to this weekend, to Sabrosura, a night of dancing and food for the kickoff of the LCC’s Mes Latino. Basically, for the month of March we actively promote Latino organizations’ activities and host Festival de Las Americas– an event where all kinds of trivia and information about Latin American culture (and need I say food…) are shared with the whole MIT community. Festival this year will be on 3/14. (*smirks amusedly for not realizing it was on pi day until now*) We also host study breaks and review sessions!

That’s the LCC in a nutshell. I’m happy to be a part of such a vibrant, truly supportive community that occasionally feeds me tortillas and elotes when mi mamita is so far away.

I will leave you with a summary of Sabrosura in only 4 points:

1. The exec board got creative.

2. THIS.

3. Casino Rueda taught us how to dance.

4. And a good time was had by all.