The LatinX experience at Utah State University
Many students of Latin descent experience the unknowns of a new community and culture when engaging in campus life.
To smooth this transition and lessen division, USU has provided resources and community infrastructure for Latin students.
The LatinX Cultural Center is a main resource. According to Chris Gonzalez, the founding director of the LatinX Cultural Center, it is the epicenter for many Latin resources.
This includes events that are handpicked to celebrate culture on campus. The center provides scholarships for students of color and a Latin-based cultural experience where students can find a community on campus derived from multiple Latin cultures.
“The center is a place to sit, get a snack, a place to get tutored and mentored, but most importantly it is a place that celebrates the culture and can help many students feel at home,” Gonzalez said.
Tiare Allcott, an incoming Latina first-year student, said growing up in Logan, she experienced being one of only a few people that look like her in a classroom. She is excited to come to USU due to its inclusion initiatives with the LatinX community and other inclusion centers on campus.
“Come to events,” Allcott said. “Talk to people, make friends, listen to their experiences and learn from them.”
Other inclusion groups, such as Latinos in Action, provide a space for USU students of all cultural backgrounds to celebrate diversity and practice leadership skills.
Gonzalez described LIA as one of the most vibrant cultural experiences on campus, with devoted students who are willing to bridge the gap between culture and race.
The LIA mission statement is, “Empower Latino youth to lead and strengthen their communities through college and career readiness.”
Open to all, the LIA chapter staff and leadership office is located in Room 227 of the Taggart Student Center. Other resources for the Latin community on campus include the LatinX Student Union, Latin leadership seminars and the Latin Dance Club.
The annual Dia De Los Muertos is an event that all students are invited to attend.
Kendall Harris, a third-year student at USU, attended the Dia De Los Muertos event last year.
“I loved going to that event last year,” Harris said. “It meant so much to learn about the diversity on campus and experience a cultural event that I did not know much about beforehand.”
Gonzalez praised events like Dia De Los Muertos for their ability to connect people of all cultures and groups.
“Sometimes I feel like I do not know how to connect with people of other cultures because I do not know how to find the resources to connect with people of color, and I do not want to intrude on their space, especially since I am a part of the majority race on campus,” Harris said.
According to Gonzalez, though it is understandable that someone may feel this way, this mentality allows us to distance ourselves even further from other cultures and communities.
To combat these feelings, Gonzalez encouraged members of all groups to get outside of their comfort zone and go experience a different story, culture, or religion than what they were raised in.
“Through expanding ourselves and seeking to learn from those around us, going to events, seeking new experiences and walking in the shoes of those around us, I believe that we can all grow from that and become better, more inclusive versions of ourselves,” Gonzalez said.
To see how you can become more involved in the Latin community on campus, attend an event or visit the LatinX Cultural Center and become a part of the community.