BBQ held for frosh at La Casa Latina

Swaying to the sounds of salsa music, Latino students munched on platanos and met members of the freshman class at the annual Latino Barbeque held last Saturday at La Casa Latina at 37th and Chestnut streets. Members of El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan and La Asociaci-n Cultural Estudiantes Latino Americanos, two of the 17 Latino organizations on campus, planned the annual freshman event. The barbeque was created to both celebrate Latino Heritage Month and familiarize students with the University's Latino community and organizations. This year's barbeque also had an added purpose: to show off La Casa Latina, the newly opened resource center for Latino students. "We want to welcome freshmen and let them know that we are here for them," College senior and Festival Latino Co-Chairperson Milady Nazir said. "This center will also support them." Representatives from various Latino groups, ranging from a dance troupe to Greek organizations, introduced themselves formally at the beginning of the barbeque, as is customary for the event. For many students, the barbeque was their first chance to see the facility. While some attendees speckled La Casa Latina's lawn and concentrated on their plates of barbequed chicken, others snooped around the new center. "Having a permanent place really helps," Nazir said. "I think it helped the barbeque turnout." Welcoming freshmen to La Casa Latina is appropriate, College junior and ACELA Vice President Randolph Quezada said, because it will "hopefully become a hub for Latino students and faculty. It will be a place for Latinos socially and academically." About 20 freshmen came to the event and generally found themselves well received. "I came just to check out the possibilities," College freshman Monica Salazar said. "I found that everyone wants to keep you informed and give you different information." And while not all the guests were part of the Latino community, they nevertheless felt welcome at the center. "Everyone here is very hospitable [and] welcoming," said Engineering freshman Grace Pantaleon, who accompanied friends to the event. "Although I'm not Hispanic, [everyone here is] really nice." Latino Heritage Month will continue through the second week of October and will include events such as a Latin dance party and several discussion groups on aspects of Latino culture.