In celebration of the strong Latino heritage present at Loyola, ALAS hosted the second annual Latino Heritage Luncheon in Caruso Hall on October 3rd, featuring guest speaker Memo Torres ‘98. The event was a moment for students, teachers, parents and alumni of Latino heritage to band together.
Following a summer of violent ICE raids targeting Latino communities, with everyday citizens being dragged off the streets, treated like criminals and deported to parts of the world far away from their families, this event provided an opportunity to come together and respond to the injustices.
The event featured food, speakers, and alumni who returned to campus, celebrating the growth of the Latino community at Loyola. After an hour of socialization, speakers took the stage, including Luis Artiz ‘95, Ruby Portillo, Thomas Cendejas and Jamal Adams ‘90.
“Trust each other, keep each other in check, don’t let anyone push you down and know that you belong,” preached Artiz, with a direct appeal to students, and the way he believes we should support each other.
The headline speaker, though, was Torres of LA Taco. Through the ICE raids, LA Taco has emerged as a space for independent and on-the-ground journalism to grow and spread awareness to the harsh realities facing us right now. Torres, the founder and executive director of the organization, has recently risen to fame for his daily reporting, informing people of local raids.
A Loyola alum, he was welcomed to the luncheon as the keynote speaker, and to reflect on the progress that Loyola as an institution has made in welcoming and providing spaces for Latino students to celebrate their culture. He spoke of the progress that has been made for Latino students at Loyola, and discussed his own time on campus.
“Back then, all we had was a tree. We had a tree and we would eat burritos from the lunch lady. We never had this kind of support, and the one thing I want to add, is that I hope every Latino that’s at Loyola right now really understands and appreciates this. What you guys are building here, the Togetherness, the Brotherhood, and the alumni that are coming back: don’t take this for granted,” finished Torres.
The Luncheon provided a space for celebration and community, and looks to be a tradition that ALAS carries into the future.
