Fitting in at MIT as a Latino

Fitting in at MIT as a Latino I wont keep you in suspense, I feel like I fit in pretty well at MIT as a Latino. And a huge part of it is thanks to the ardent strides the MIT community takes to make everyone feel welcomed. There are plenty of Latino-centric organizations and clubs at MIT, with the  Latino Cultural Center acting as the central hub for Latino students and student organizations like: LUChA  (La Unión Chicana por Aztlán) MAES  (Latinos in Science and Engineering) APR (Association of Puerto Rican Students at MIT) SHPE  (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) If thats not enough, theres other, broader organizations like the Office of Minority Education, dedicated to providing professional and academic opportunities and resources to MITs students from minority groups. So its clear that MIT cares and that us MIT students care (most of these organizations are student-run) about making each other feel welcome, but an interesting question came to light at the Latino Cultural Centers annual Cena a la Seis during Family Weekend: do Latino parents feel welcome at MIT? I wont keep you in suspense for that question either, I dont know the answer. I would sure hope so. I know my mom immediately jumped on board with MIT and even became a Parent Connector and volunteering in campus events as well as helping to welcome incoming parents. She even made a MIT Familia Facebook group to answer questions Latino MIT parents may have. The guest speaker for the 2014 Cena a las Seis was MIT Professor Junot  Díaz. He spoke about his Dominican heritage and his experiences growing up and working through college. He mentioned that one of his biggest regrets was that during his Rutgers graduation, his mother came to see him but then left right afterwards. This was the first and only time she had gone to Rutgers campus to see him. She just didnt feel welcome as part of that community. And Junot Díaz stressed the importance of making ones family also feel welcome to their childs college community. He then praised MIT for doing just that: making MIT a place welcoming to both students and parents. The Cena a Las Seis is just another example of an event for both parents and students to have fun at. And it gets bigger and better with each year. 2013 Cena a Las Seis (photo from last years post, This Isnt Goodbye) 2014 Cena a Las Seis My mom with other Latina parents and Parent Connectors All in all, Cena a Las Seis and the rest of Family Weekend was a lot of fun. I cant wait for the next one. Left side: me and my family. Right side: my friend Will 17 and his family.