By Erica Cooperberg '13
It was impossible to ignore the sounds coming from Brandeis International Business School’s World Court on April 26. La Latinada, the school’s annual Latin celebration, had students dancing, singing, laughing and cheering as peers, faculty and families gathered for an afternoon of cultural festivities.
To begin the celebrations, Brandeis IBS Dean Bruce Magid commented on his own experiences with Latin American culture and recognized its prominent presence around campus. He said that Brandeis IBS is continuing its discourse to expand student opportunities in Latin American: “We’re working hard to build relationships with the entire region.”
The festivities began with a performance by the undergraduate salsa group, Brandeis Salseros, and then the floor was opened to brave participants who competed in a salsa competition. Following a performance by a student guitarist, a game of limbo got everyone bending, twisting and applauding.
"We want to show how Latin Americans are,” explained Jorge Arce, MBA ’14, co-host of the event and vice president of the Latin Club. Coming to Brandeis IBS from Mexico, Arce said that it was important to show the community about Latin life. “We want people to know about our culture, our countries – and especially our food!”
After a competitive scavenger hunt and an intense game of “sillas musicales” (musical chairs), attendees were invited to feast on a variety of Latin food including alfajores (sandwich cookies) and sopes (small Mexican open tortillas).
Students appreciated the opportunity to learn about Latin culture, especially those who were previously unfamiliar. “It’s fun for me to get to meet people from different countries at Brandeis IBS and go to events, especially ones as big as this,” said Maria Kristjansdottir, MA ’14, a native of Iceland.
With a pink flower in her hair, event co-host Farah Robles, ’14 said she was excited to see the campus-wide interest in Latin culture. “At Brandeis IBS, we share every culture with everyone,” said the Latin Club president, a native of the Dominican Republic. “This was a great event to show others how we have fun!”
