By Michael Ahn ’22
Bellarmine is home to students that come from various backgrounds, and many cultural clubs and organizations can be found all around campus. The Latino Student Union, otherwise known as the LSU, is an organization at Bellarmine that manages and hosts various events regarding Latino culture.
Broadly speaking, the “LSU is involved in service, cultural events, social justice, forming a community of acceptance, and outreach to local schools,” according to Erik Luna ’19, the chairman of LSU.
More specifically, Erik says that the “LSU organizes events like the Virgen de Guadalupe Celebration… [performing] community service by giving gifts to underprivileged kids, tutoring at a local school, and giving food to the homeless.”
The LSU hosts these types of events because of their unique philosophy that is referred to as “Las 5 Cosas” which can be translated into English as “the 5 things.”
The first of “Las 5 Cosas” is community, which involves creating a society where everybody with distinct cultures can live in harmony. The second point is culture, which involves students learning, practicing, and sharing the Latino culture. The third is compassion, going along with Bellarmine’s philosophy of service and being men and women for and with others. The fourth point is connection, where students reach out and help struggling school communities. The final point, change, encourages students to promote political advocacy for Latinos and the greater community in general.
The LSU currently has over 60 members, and students do not have to be Latino to join. Once a student joins the Latino Student Union, LSU members will provide a welcoming and exciting experience to all its members.
According to Erik Luna, “As a member of LSU, you are invited to all of our social events, where you can experience Latino music, food, and embrace the culture through community. You build connections with your Bellarmine Hermanos- ‘brothers’… In addition, you get to meet [people] from other schools, give back to the community, and have a platform to be heard.”
The Latino Student Union meets on Tuesdays during lunch at Andrade Theater. Go check them out!