VCU Latin community has stories, experiences to share year round

Attendees dance at ¡Muevete!: Latin Dance Night. Photo courtesy of Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.

Sofia Hussain, Contributing Writer

VCU’s Office of Multicultural Student Affairs hosts various events from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 in honor of Latin Heritage Month, according to its website. 

One of those events includes ¡Muevete!: Latin Dance Nights, which occurs each Tuesday in Monroe Park and features various Latin-inspired dances, according to its website. The next dance night will be on Oct. 3 and will highlight Cumbia, Merengue and Salsa.

“What I am hoping people take away from Latin Dance nights is a sense of feeling free, a sense of feeling the music and understanding that this form of dance comes from a particular culture that is enriched with great vibes and fun energy,” said Joshua Lockhart, the associate director at OMSA. 

Latin Heritage Month celebrations at VCU help the exposure of Latin culture and prioritize a feeling of inclusivity at VCU and new students feeling welcome, Lockhart said.

OMSA prioritizes the promotion of Latin cultural events so students of the Latin community can feel more welcome celebrating their culture when joining VCU, Lockhart said

Dance is a very important part of Latin culture, according to Leslie Quiroz, co-president of the Latinx Student Association. 

“It’s a way to tell stories without using words,” Quiroz said.

Even when it’s not Latin Heritage Month, VCU organizations continue to put in effort to collaborate with the LSA and prioritize the exposure of Latin culture, Quiroz said.

“VCU has done an amazing job with inclusivity within the different minority groups,” Quiroz said. “Especially with our amount of diversity. It’s very beautiful seeing different cultures connect.”

Rashel Ferrufino Aguirre, co-culture chair of LSA, said she was greatly influenced by the promotion of Latin culture when she first joined VCU. Connecting with the rest of the Latinx community and engaging in events helped her feel more welcome, Aguirre said. 

Aguirre hopes that her dedication to celebrating Latin culture, aside from Latin Heritage Month, can do the same for incoming students, she said. 

Arly Cardozo, LSA historian, said there is more recognition regarding Latin culture here at VCU in response to the celebration of Latin Heritage Month. Cardozo hopes that VCU can continue to expand exposure and appreciation during the rest of the year.

There are many members of the Latinx community at VCU, and one of the main goals of Latin Heritage month celebrations is reminding everyone in the VCU community that LSA is here and honored to celebrate their culture with everyone, Cardozo said. 

“Our club is the reason why people don’t forget that Latin celebration is not only a monthly event,” Cardozo said. “We have stories to tell, stories to share and experiences that need to be talked about throughout the whole year”

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