Students exposed to different cultures by the ALAS

By Eboni Lacey

Have you ever wondered about the beginnings of salsa dancing, Latino culture, tango, rumba, zumba and the Spanish dialect? Missouri Western’s new organization called the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) addresses all of this and much more as it plans to educate our institution and embrace the Latino and non-Latino students.

Sophomore and President of ALAS Adrian Cossyleon explains the overall purpose of the organization.

“Our main goal is to expose campus to our culture and do it in a way that portrays us in a positive light,” Cossyleon said. “We want to also expose the myths surrounded by Latinos.”

These myths include immigration and English: Second Language assumptions. Junior and Treasurer of ALAS Pamela Covarrubias expresses how ALAS has been actively working to be a positive advocate for students while representing the Hispanic community.

“We are representing the Hispanic community both on and even off campus,” Covarrubias said. “We are trying to do mentor programs in the community and let students know that they can go to college.”

Covarrubias, who helped found Western’s ALAS organization last year, expresses the major concerns that ALAS has been focusing on and some events that ALAS is planning for the future.

“We are focusing on the Haiti crisis and the Dream Act of 2003,” Covarrubias said. “We are thinking of a lot of ways to do something to help but it’s really hard because there is not enough knowledge about the dream act. We talked about having a teacher teach Latin American Studies and possibly join it with African American studies to bring awareness.”

According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the Dream Act of 2003 entitles undocumented students that have completed elementary and secondary education to not be liable for their immigrant status

However, this act does not provide specific benefits for these students and does not allow them financial aid that could be used for college or training schools.

The revision of this act could allow higher education for many undocumented students that do not have the opportunity to receive education anywhere else. Among raising this concern, ALAS plans to also reach out to Western and let students know that they want to help them and encourage them.

“There is an organization for them,” Covarrubias said. “There is a group on campus that will help them feel good and feel accepted.”

Along with encouragement, ALAS also plans to help students expand their horizons and not make everything such a black and white issue. Western senior and ALAS member Jacely Alcantara expands on this theory.

“I feel that it is really important to try and bring some culture to campus and represent it more than anything,” Alcantara said. “I feel like campus will learn to be a less bit black and white and try to expand their horizons in exploring other cultures other than their own.”

Though currently ALAS only has five members, they still plan to host events and gain awareness and membership in the future. Among mentor programs and communityservice, ALAS plans to have a Spanish table that will consist of fluent speaking Spanish natives and majors, salsa lessons, an XBOX tournament and a talent show in March.
There will also be a churro night witch will be held on Wed. March 24 in the Center for Student Engagement. Cossyleon provides a little more detail.
“We’re going to have churro night for campus and other student organizations,” Cossyleon said. “Anyone’s invited.”