With a Hispanic student population of over 4,000, the student body is a hub of culture, understanding and support for the community.
The Latino Student Union’s (LXSU) annual event, “Latinos Unidos,” is a great example of how the Latino and Hispanic community comes together during and after the event.
More than a dozen Latino/Hispanic organizations participated on September 2nd, ready to introduce their organizations to new and returning students who wanted to learn about all the Latino/Hispanic organizations in Charlotte.
LXSU President Yesenia Garcia said “Latinos Unidos,” which drew more than 300 participants, was a success.
“It was a great event and I’m so grateful to all the organizations that were willing to participate in these events. They agreed to participate because they want to see the impact it has on our students,” Garcia said. “It was really great to see so many students and alumni come out.”
Garcia is Mexican and a junior marketing major from the small town of Rockingham, North Carolina.
Yesenia Garcia is the 2024-25 president of the Latino Student Union.
Provided by LXSU
Coming from a small town, Garcia didn’t know many other Latinos, but being active in Charlotte’s student organizations gave her the community she needed.
“I come from rural North Carolina, where I didn’t grow up with anyone who looked, spoke or believed like me,” Garcia said. “LXSU provided me with a community of people who thought like me and had walked a similar path as me.”
Garcia attended Latinos Unidos last year to learn about all the Latino student organizations available to her.
“As a freshman, it was really intimidating going somewhere where I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t know anything about any of the organizations on campus. I was really active in high school and I wanted to continue that in college,” Garcia said. “Latinos Unidos helped me get to know the different organizations on campus that exist specifically to serve many in the Latino community. I still remember the impact Latinos Unidos had on me and I want to continue that impact.”
This year’s Latinos Unidos marked the third time LXSU has hosted the event since it was founded in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Another reason Latinos Unidos was created is because before that there wasn’t a place for all the organizations to come together and talk about what they were specifically offering to students,” Garcia said, “so we wanted to make sure we were highlighting all the other organizations and other opportunities.”
The Dance Association of Latin Expressions (DALE) was one of Latinos Unidos’ other organizations.
A dance event organized by the Latin Expression Dance Association (DALE).
Courtesy of Sarai Vieira
Although DALE is a newer student organization, only in its second year, it has benefited from participating in events such as Latinos Unidos and collaborating with other student organizations.
“It was really beneficial because we got to see the whole Latino community come together and see everyone interacting, some of them for the first time ever seeing these organizations,” said Sarai Viera, DALE vice president, “so I think it was really good exposure for us and helped us not only get to know more people but also attract them to our club.”
Viera is a Salvadoran-Mexican senior majoring in management information systems. She has been a member since last year and has watched the organization grow.
“Last year it was really hard to plan because we didn’t have a lot of dance connections,” Vieira said, “but now I feel like we have a community. We have a lot of people who come to our meetups frequently since last year, and I can see we’ve gotten better at promoting and organizing.”
Since its inception, DALE has created an environment where Latino and non-Latino students can learn about Latin America through dance and expression.
Currently, DALE has about 40 active members who regularly attend dance events.
“We’re just trying to create a safe space for students to express themselves through dance and connect with the community while feeling more comfortable with dance,” Vieira said. “We bring in instructors from different backgrounds to teach our students. We try to do mainstream Latin dances like bachata, cumbia, salsa, but also target the underrepresented Latino community.”
Their organization’s growth coincides with an increase in Hispanic students on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s campus.
15.6% of Charlotte’s undergraduates identify as Hispanic, and the university is recognized by Excelencia in Higher Education as an emerging institution serving Hispanic students.
“Honestly, it makes me feel a lot more comfortable when the community is expanded,” said Jonathan Hatta, a third-year civil engineering student from Venezuela who also serves as DALE’s social media coordinator. “It’s nice to know I’m not alone.”
As the Hispanic community grows, organizations such as the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) want to become a “second home” for students.
The Latin American Student Organization (LASO) participated in the Latinos Unidos event hosted by LXSU.
Provided by LXSU
“During my years at LASO, I’ve learned that having peers can make college life that much more fulfilling, especially for first-generation students,” said LASO co-director Aaliyah Rosales. “We see our role as a second home and support system for the Latino community.”
Rosales is a Mexican junior at Charlotte. She is co-president with Ivana Rivadeneira, a fourth-year international business, finance and accounting triple major. Rivadeneira is Ecuadorian-Colombian.
They, along with other members of the LASO Executive Committee, have shifted the organization’s focus to welcoming new students and providing support.
“This year, we have a new purpose, not just as a social group, but specifically for first-year students,” Rivadeneira said, “so we’re definitely changing direction this year and making sure we’re an organization for everyone, but also a second home.”
As well as hosting its own events, LASO also collaborates with other student organisations with the aim of increasing cultural awareness and further supporting its members.
LASO also participated in LXSU’s Latinos Unidos events, and the connections between Latino student organizations are valuable outside of those events as well.
“I want to highlight the community of the Latino community on campus. All the organizations are very close-knit and I really appreciate that,” Rivadeneira said. “LASO is very grateful for the connections within the community and I’m also grateful for all the other organizations on campus.”
“Working with other Hispanic organizations builds a bridge between the two,” Rosales said, “It shows that Latinos always stick together, always support each other. If you’re struggling mentally or emotionally, there’s always a community there to help you.”
