Latino Culture Celebrated

Three Latino student groups are sponsoring an intercollegiate conference today as part of a month-long series of events on Latin American culture.

Approximately 100 students are expected to attend the weekend-long gathering at Boylston Hall.

The events include a poetry reading, lectures and workshops led by prominent Latinos from the media, the public sector, government and academia, according to Veronica Rosales '94, president of the Chicano organization Raza.

One of the lectures is entitled "From Barrio Streets to College Classrooms."

Another aims to uncover commonalities between Latino cultures by "examining the branches to find the roots," Rosales said.

The conference, sponsored by Raza, Latinas Unidas and La O, Will climax today in a student-mediated discussion on Latino ethnicity, according to Rosales.

Estela Torres '94, co-chair of Latinas Unidas, said Latino Month and the conference this year is a milestone for the Harvard Latino community.

The series of events marks the first occasion on which all three of the undergraduate Hispanic organizations on campus have united for a common cause.

Visiting Professor of Government Rudolfo O. De la Garza inspired the groups to work together, according to Torres.

"It is important to set aside time to acknowledge our heritage," Rosales said.

"There are so few of us, not only here at Harvard, but along the East Coast," Rosales added. "We need to show people where we come from."

She said Latino Month, which started April 4, has been a success thus far.

Last weekend's Mexican food celebration at Dudley House, which offered free margaritas, was very popular, according to Rosales.

Torres said that Cesar Chavez's talk on migrant farm workers on April 7 was well-attended. Chavez urged students to support continued efforts to improve treatment of migrant farm workers.

A showing of the documentary film Duke of Earl was also well-received, Torres said.

Panel discussions on "Latino empowerment" and on Chicano graduate students, a dinner and a dance are among the events scheduled for future weekends.

In addition to heightening the general public's awareness of Latino cultures, Rosales said, Latino Month helps Latino students keep in touch with their home cultures.

"We get homesick," Rosales said. "These events help us not to forget our heritage."