LSA Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
The Latinx Student Alliance (LSA) is one of many clubs promoting inclusivity on Maryville College’s campus. Their role is to unite and share the Latinx culture with all Maryville College students. LSA is open to anyone, not just students of Hispanic or Latinx descent.
LSA had its first official meeting on September 22, with plans to hold weekly meetings every Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
As many people are aware, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated and acknowledged from September 15 to October 15. Many Latin American countries celebrate their Independence Day during this time, which is one reason why Hispanic Heritage Month is so important. It is a time for people to celebrate their cultural heritage.
Because Maryville College now has a significant number of students from different Latin American countries, LSA seeks to represent all Latinx cultures. Although many of them share similarities, as an organization that celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion, LSA wants to showcase the uniqueness of each.
Part of LSA’s plan for celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is to showcase “Documented,” a documentary about prize-winning journalist and immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas.
The documentary shows his journey to America after leaving the Philippines as a child, as well as his strife as an immigrant reform activist. A live showing open to the student body will take place in the Lawson Auditorium on October 13, from four to six p.m. Refreshments will be provided.
Toward the end of the film, an immigration lawyer will be available to answer questions. The goal is to educate people on the different status and struggles that immigrants from any country might face. This will be a great opportunity to get to know the differences between those who identify as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients and those who are considered undocumented.
This will not be the only time LSA hosts an informative session like this. In the upcoming weeks, LSA will also be hosting their annual “Day of the Dead” dance, which is another celebration of Latinx culture. Each week, LSA will be scheduling different activities in their meetings for those who wish to learn about or are interested in learning about Latinx culture.
LSA sends out a weekly email with a detailed schedule of their meetings. If you wish to be included or have any interest in receiving those emails, you can contact any LSA Representative via Instagram (@maryvillelsa).