'Pot of Cultures' teaches Latin diversity

Sigma Lambda Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s event “Pot of Cultures” brought students awareness of Latin cultures other than just Mexico, Jessika Velazquez, president of SLA, said.

Monday night’s festivities featured classical world guitar music as well as both Latin salsa and Mexican ballet folklorico dancing, SLA social chair Crystal Romero said. Decorated stations surrounded the Brown-Lupton University Union Auditorium with information about various Latin countries such as Argentina, Columbia, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia.

Velazquez, a senior history and political science double major, said each member of the sorority was responsible for researching information about a country for their presentation.

People were interested to learn about the government, food, clothing, music and famous people of each country, she said.

Romero, a junior early childhood education major,said people were eager to get their souvenir passports provided at the event stamped at the different tables’ locations.

Mitzi Bracy, a freshman biology major, said she attended the event for extra credit for her geography class. She said she had learned about the countries’ capitols in school, but the event provided a chance for her to learn about their people. Her favorite part, she said, was tasting the different foods and she was amused to learn that people in some Spanish-speaking countries eat guinea pigs.

Jose Trejo, a junior criminal justice major, said he learned about countries outside of his Mexican heritage and saw the event as a way for students to get “out of their box.” 

Cindy Cerda, a senior supply and value chain management major and community service chair of SLA, said more than just minority groups attended.

Romero said the event supported SLA’s mission to educate members and the community “with the many different Hispanic cultures and traditions to help break down the barriers of discrimination.” The sorority partnered with theCrew to help fund the event and drew in the crowds that Romero said have been present at other events sponsored by theCrew.

Both Cerda and Romero said they are of Mexican decent, but wanted to make people aware of the many other countries that speak Spanish.

Cyndee Garza, CEO of Zumba Fort Worth, said she wanted to teach people the informal dances of Latin cultures that carry the people’s heritage through affordable Zumba classes In her classes, Garza said she includes steps that can be used outside of class such as the bachata step, triple step, Dominican, salsa, Suzy Q and Puerto Rican slide.

“People don’t understand that Latin doesn’t just categorize one person,” she said.

Garza said she asked SLA member and senior nursing major Alice Quintana to attend the event after  she attended several of Garza’s classes.

Romero and Cerda both said they agreed that although this was the first time for “Pot of Cultures,” the event was a success. Cerda said SLA holds other cultural events throughout the year that mostly center on Hispanic holidays such as Cinco de Mayo.