Turkey and tango at Latino Thanksgiving

More than 200 guests enjoyed cranberry sauce and salsa -- the dance, not the condiment -- Sunday night in what has become an annual Latino Thanksgiving feast. La Unidad Latina -- also known as Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc. -- presented the ninth annual Pa'lante Thanksgiving Dinner to provide all students with a home-cooked meal and a family atmosphere for the holidays. In Spanish, Pa'lante means "moving forward or making progress," according to College sophomore Cesar Leon, a fraternity brother. The fraternity's nine brothers, or hermanos, hosted the event in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge. Dinner included traditional Thanksgiving food like turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, complemented by Latin American specialties like platanos -- fried bananas -- and rice with pigeon peas. Since going home to their families in Colombia and Argentina is not financially feasible for many of the guests, Sunday's dinner provided them with a chance to celebrate the holidays in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Though not a traditional Latin American holiday, the brothers said they feel Thanksgiving has been incorporated into their new lives, and that Pa'lante's mix of Latin culture with a U.S. celebration exemplifies that sentiment. "It's more about unity," said Wharton sophomore Ricardo Godoy. "It's an event in which we can all come together, sit down and enjoy a meal." The dinner also provided a chance for the brothers to contribute to the community. Proceeds from the event went to Taller Puertorrique-o, a community-based Philadelphia organization that provides artistic, cultural and educational services to local Latino communities. Lambda Upsilon Lambda plans to donate about $500 to the organization during the school year, brothers said. But beyond the charitable goal of the dinner, guests enjoyed dancing and performances. A live DJ played Latin American music, while guests showed off their skill at the salsa and tango. Making their first live performance, the student dance group Onda LAtina entertained the crowd with its interpretation of traditional dances like the meringue. People of all ages and cultures said they enjoyed the evening. "I like the fact that it's not about traditional Thanksgiving," said College senior Ricarda White, OLA president. "It's about actually giving thanks and giving to each other -- no matter what culture you are from." Local businesses such as Allegro's Pizza, Wawa Food Mart and Cousin's Food Market provided food and money for the event.