Latinx Unidos and the Multicultural Programming Board hosted Caribbean Night on Friday, Sept. 30 in the Lindberg lobby. With virgin drinks in hand, students danced the night away while learning about the importance of Caribbean culture and the history behind it, immersing themselves in various countries. 

Caribbean Night featured multiple guest speakers, a special performance from UNYK and an array of food and drink options. Students helped themselves to a variety of Caribbean food, including empanadas, rice and plantains. The tables were covered in decorations, and the walls were lined in all of the Caribbean nations’ flags, making a welcoming environment for students of all cultures. 

Sophomore Anthony Silva, vice president of Latinx Unidos, discusses the different countries within Latin America and the disinformation surrounding them, particularly that not all Caribbean nations speak Spanish.

“There is a difference between the term Hispanic and Latin,” Silva said. “So, Latin American and Hispanic doesn’t encompass all those [Caribbean] countries because they do not all speak Spanish.” 

Latinx culture includes many different culture groups and ethnicities, ranging from Mexico to Belize. However, many people do not realize how vast Latinx culture is.

“Our goal with Caribbean Night is to bring exposure and educate the student body on the existence of the Caribbean and how, in itself, it’s a microclass of so many different ethnic groups and cultures,” Silva said. 

Alexxa Soto Collazo, a sophomore Spanish-Education major at Augustana and the social chair for Latinx Unidos, presented a PowerPoint to guests about Puerto Rican culture and history. Proudly wearing the Puerto Rican flag around her like a cape, Soto Collazo highlighted the importance of the flag and the history behind it. 

The closest adaptation of the current Puerto Rican flag was made in 1892, but it was banned until 1952. Then, once Puerto Rico became United States territory, the new flag was born with a darker shade of blue to represent the loyalty to the U.S. Puerto Ricans now can wave their flags freely, and they continue to do so to this day. 

“We are small, but we are also loud, proud and passionate,” Soto Collazo said.

The event also hosted a special guest speaker, Coleen Egan, who prepared a presentation about Jamaica, known as “the land of wood and water.” Egan educated listeners on her cultural heritage while playing Jamaican music to highlight the festival aspect of her culture. 

Caribbean Night was full of celebration and music. UNYK opened the show with lively music and dancing, and soon after, other students took to the dance floor as well. Students made use of the space by forming a conga line that weaved between the tables.

Junior Odalis Zapata-Martinez, the late night chair of the Multicultural Programming Board, said representation is important for all the different Caribbean nationalities. While cultural celebration took the main stage of Caribbean Night last year, this year’s focus is education and representation. Zapata-Martinez wants to foster an environment on campus with elements of Caribbean culture to make students feel more at home even when many are far from it. 

The second annual Caribbean Night was a night full of food, music and celebration, as well as an opportunity for students to better learn about some of their peers’ cultures. Students were given time to ask questions to speakers, speak about their own experiences, share their cultures and dance the night away. 

According to Silva, there are cultural differences when students first come to campus, but it is important that these differences do not create distance between them. 

“We want to create a more cohesive campus,” Silva said. “Not just accepting, but a more neutral campus where it is not sticking out. It is just the norm.”