The students walk through the door of room 235 as a fusion of different languages, cultures and flags come together—the Latinx and Allies Club prepares for another meeting.
The club, which meets during X-block, is a place for students of Latinx or Hispanic heritage and allies to bond with each other. The club aims to create a safe and inclusive environment in which students can share their experiences and identities and form meaningful relationships with others.
Club adviser Pedro Mendez said the club helps create a comfortable space for students to express themselves through meaningful interactions.
“It’s a place where students can find a comfortable and safe place where they can display their cultures with people who share the same language and experiences. It’s always a good idea to be around people who you have a lot of things in common with,” Mendez said.
Club co-president senior Mariana Sanchez-Dahl said connecting with others in the club helped her understand herself more.
“Before joining, most of my friends and the people around me didn’t really share my identity, so after joining the club, I realized I was missing out on a lot. It helps me feel a lot more comfortable with my identity, and it helps me identify with it more. As a person living in the U.S., it can be hard to feel like you are a part of the Latinx community,” Sanchez-Dahl said. “The Latinx Club really helps you connect with your identity and understand yourself better.”
According to Club co-president senior Pablo Tejedor Meyers, students find a chance to relate to one another through the club’s social activities.
“Eating food together from our culture and talking about social issues that relate to our cultures brings people together and creates a little community and family where people can feel comfortable and speak their language,” Meyers said.
Mendez said the club provides students with a chance to connect with other cultures and create strong friendships with one another.
“I see kids from Chile connecting with kids from Spain, Costa Rica, Cuba or Puerto Rico. It’s amazing that many kids develop strong bonds and relationships with each other after spending two or three years together,” Mendez said.
Meyers said the students in the club have many goals this year and are aiming at expanding their presence.
“We are a very vibrant community; there is a lot of energy, and we are passionate about what we do and who we are. It’s great to see everybody showing love to each other,” Meyers said. “This year, we want to get things done and have a voice for our community.”
