Surrounded by the rhythmic music and hand drawn flowers which adorned the aisles, Latinos Unidos used their third annual “Celebrating Latinindad!” assembly to bring attention to Latinx stories, especially after the results of the presidential election. The assembly took place during Lab C on Nov. 20.
Latinos Unidos faculty adviser Sari Hernández began the assembly with a brief land acknowledgement before responding to the results of the election. She declared that in terms of the election results, Latinos Unidos was not neutral.
“You can’t be neutral and be an ally,” Ms. Hernández said during her presentation.
The assembly featured a speech by urban planner Rosa Ortiz, who is also a Lab parent. Ms. Ortiz spoke about her own experiences moving from Mexico City to Chicago as a child and finding family among Chicagoans.
Other assembly activities included two dance performances, with lower school Spanish teacher Sonia Perez premiering a new dance routine alongside the Mayambo Dance Company. The owners of the company also debuted another dance. Latino Unidos members Adrian Chaides and Camila Bravo recited poems of their own.
One of the themes of the assembly was focusing on the perseverance and triumph of the Latinx community through storytelling.
As part of this theme, the audience watched a video about a woman selling tamales in New York. Club member Maya Livni wanted to bring attention to these stories of perseverance and triumph.
“Our country has been shaped in profound ways by the often-underappreciated efforts of Latino individuals and families,” Maya said. “From Wall Street to local neighborhoods, their influence is undeniable. But perhaps one of the most delicious and visible examples of their impact is through food.”
After the assembly, sophomore Gabi Novak said she enjoyed herself.
“I think that the emphasis on the nuanced culture was very nicely done,” Gabi said. “Not only informative but also engaging.”
