Butler’s LSU regularly hosts events focused on culture and connecting. Graphic by Ella Hall.
Butler’s Latino Student Union (LSU) headed downtown on April 11 for a Latino Cultural Appreciation Night in partnership with Indiana University Indianapolis’s (IUI) Latino Student Association.
The event was held in the Stutz Vision Loft and featured games, food and dancing. Organizers from both groups put an emphasis on cultivating new friendships and connections.
Diego Gomez, a first-year entrepreneurship and innovation major, highlighted that connection as one of his favorite aspects of his first year with LSU.
“I think all events [like these] are really important in today’s climate, to advocate for every student, because everyone matters in this world,” Gomez said. “Making people feel seen and supported is really important, no matter what culture [or] what cause; anything is important for us to all come together and celebrate. I love [it] when other people experience that culture as well. That’s the whole point, [getting] other people [to] see how lively, how fun, how colorful, and how amazing this community is.”
Dani Temores, a junior criminology and psychology double major, echoed this sentiment in discussing future collaborative events that LSU may have in store next semester when she serves as co-president.
“[We] have been working on doing different collabs with not just Latino communities, but possibly, Greek life, or some sort of different organization here on campus,” Temores said. “I feel like it’s very hard to find your people, especially on a predominantly white campus, and so I definitely think in a college setting, being able to share [culture] among other people that understand you and can relate to you [is very] rewarding.”
Aside from partnering with Butler, IUI’s Latino Student Association also partnered with groups like the Indiana Latino Institute and the Kelley School of Business to create an environment welcoming a broader Indianapolis-based community.
Mayra Amantecatl, a first-year strategic communication and Spanish double major, emphasized the collaborative nature of the event as a major aspect of what drew her to it.
“I was excited to hopefully see people from Marion, people from IUI, and then all the other organizations,” Amantecatl said. “Having this [event] in a casual setting just felt natural. You have something to go to and something to rely on. As a first-generation [student], I think [that’s something] that you stumble over.”
LSU’s next event is a collaboration with the Butler University College Democrats and the Coalition for our Immigrant Neighbors, focused on raising awareness about the current immigration landscape. It will be held on April 15 in Dugan Hall.
