LatinX Conference Celebrates Shared Identity

On Saturday, March 21, St. Ignatius College Prep held their LatinX conference.

Students who were a part of the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS) were invited to join this event, and a group attended. At this event, we got to socialize with other students who shared similar backgrounds to ours. At the start, we got to hear from Jesus “Chuy” Garcia about how his Latin background shaped who he is and how it correlates to his job as a congressman. We were able to meet him close up and take pictures with him.

The day was also filled with delicious food, such as carnitas, mole and pan de guayaba y queso. We had options to join different workshops, and a group of us went to a dance class where we got to learn and dance New York-style salsa and bachata. We also participated in the architecture workshop where we got in groups and competed to see which group could build the strongest bridge to hold up books.

To keep us entertained, they brought in a dance group, and we got to see baile folklorico, which is a traditional Mexican dance that included long colorful dresses. It was very impressive to watch because there were young children dancing. They also invited Mariachi Sirenas, an all-women Mariachi group. During this time, some of the students from other schools sang alongside the mariachi band.

We ended the day with a dance party with everyone there. Overall, this was a great experience for us to socialize and appreciate our backgrounds.

Click here for photos and videos.