Latino Cultural Society

By: Neha Seenarine

Mi casa es su casa — it’s a common phrase in Latino culture. However, this statement is something more to the Quinnipiac University’s Latino Cultural Society stands by. The organization focuses on welcoming students and making them feel like it’s a home away from home.

“If there is one thing that I would say about LCS is it’s really like my house is your house,” said Genesis Paulino, the vice president of the Latino Cultural Society. “It’s about expressing and having a piece of home for us as Latinx students here in a predominantly white institution. But, also we are able to share that space with other students of color, who are also looking for a home.”

Latino Cultural Society President Emily Diaz and Paulino, a junior sociology major, both reflected on Latino Cultural Society’s mission and what they want the organization’s big picture to be. Diaz said the organization is focused on connecting.

Diaz, a junior political science major, explained that her and the Latino Cultural Society executive board meet weekly and before discussing organization topics — they sit together and talk about what they’re grateful for and their highs and lows.

“We’re people first before anything else,” Diaz said. “We love this org and we love the advocacy work that we do within it, but at the same time, we are people, and we understand how overwhelming it can be to be a student at a PWI, but also just a college student.”

Paulino acknowledged the space that the Latino Cultural Society is creating on campus outside of the organization’s executive board.

“I appreciate the spaces that we’re creating, and who recognize that LCS is much larger than just ,you know, the nine people on an e-board,” Paulino said. “It’s much larger. It’s the greater mission of creating an open and safe space for Latinx students to be able to feel represented here at a PWI, but also for other students to encourage other students to also find that space.”