On Saturday, October 15, the Latin American Student Association (LASA) hosted a

fiesta in celebration of the country of Puerto Rico in the Alumni Lounge with a night

filled with live music, dancing and food.

LASA is a student organization on campus. Their motto is “Uniting All That is

Different”, and in a big way, LASA is doing just that. Each year, LASA picks a country to

celebrate during the closing of Hispanic Heritage Month, which started on September

15.

Treasurer Jasmine Alers says, “We help inform the campus what we are about and bring

Spanish cultures together.”

LASA members had decorated the lounge with colorful posters that had fun facts about

Puerto Rico, as well as the Puerto Rican flag, and decorated the tables red, white and

blue. El Coquí Restaurant provided the various and delicious food at the event and there

was live music performed by Luisito Rey y la Dinamica. The band played numerous

salsa songs which added to the lively atmosphere.

Alers was impressed with the turn-out number of people who attended the fiesta and

people in attendance were amazed by the decorations and the live music. The hard work

and dedication of the members of LASA resulted in a wonderful night for students, and

even some family members in attendance.

Since 2008, the group has worked diligently daily to promote the different and various

Spanish cultures, informing students throughout the years at fun-filled, social events.

LASA also hosts other events on campus throughout the year, in an effort to continue

the group’s goal in bringing Spanish cultures together, such as BBQs, and Game Night.

Ridding the campus of misconceptions of Latin Americans and their culture is

something we should all help with little by little, whether it be joining LASA or just

merely telling someone about it helps make a great difference.

If anyone is interested in joining LASA, they hold meetings in the Alumni Annex on the

second floor of Bartels on Mondays at 7 p.m. You can also follow LASA on Snapchat and

Facebook under LASA U.N.H. So, if you are looking to celebrate Spanish culture or want

to raise awareness for other Spanish cultures, come on out and join in on LASA events

and have fun.

Together, we can unite all that is different and all the while make a difference in the

world.