The Latin American Student Union kicked off Latin Weekend on Friday with its 13th-annual Nuestra Belleza y Nuestro Galán Latinx, hosted at the Polish Community Center. With detailed cultural walks and unique talent showcases, each participant was able to display their respective cultures’ diversity.
Founded in 1969, LASU strives to be a uniting force on campus, especially for Latine students of all cultural backgrounds. They encourage collaboration and exchange through events like their annual pageant, allowing students to learn about cultures they otherwise might not experience. This year’s theme, “El Milenio Celestial,” encouraged everyone to show up in their best out-of-this-world outfits.
“The inspiration for this year’s theme, ‘El Milenio Celestial’ (The Celestial Millennium), was inspired by wanting to show Latin culture as something that has continuously evolved,” wrote Andres Choquehuamani, secretary for LASU and a sophomore majoring in business administration. “Each contestant represented a different Latin American country, and the past, present, and future theme pushed them to explore how their country’s identity has changed across generations.”
The night began as hosts Gabrielle Dorcely, a former Ms. Cuba contestant and senior majoring in psychology, and Alyssa Soto, president of the Caribbean Student Association and a senior majoring in psychology, introduced the contestants. Dressed in white, contestants representing Ms. Brazil, Mr. Chile, Ms. Colombia, Mr. Costa Rica, Ms. Ecuador, Mr. Guatemala, Ms. Haiti, Ms. Honduras, Mr. Nicaragua and Mr. Venezuela made their appearances on stage.
The banquet used an open audition process, in which students are able to pick any Latin American country they want to represent. Students are selected as contestants for their commitment to that country’s culture and overall understanding of the people of the country they choose. The only rule was contestants are not allowed to represent a country that is tied to their own cultural heritage.
“We look for contestants who are willing to put in the work to understand the country they’ve chosen to represent,” Choquehuamani wrote. “However, participation as a contestant isn’t limited to students of Latinx origin/ethnicity; anyone can try out, and contestants choose whichever country they want to represent, from the Caribbean and Central America all the way to the southern tip of Chile.”
Next came the swimwear and cultural portions of the pageant. After each contestant finished strutting down the catwalk in their best swimwear while carrying their country’s flags, they were tasked with finding a piece of their country’s culture they wished to share. The walks ranged from dance and music to fashion shows with traditional clothing. Kyara Perez, Ms. Brazil and a junior majoring in human development, chose to showcase Brazilian funk music in her culture walk.
“I really wanted to represent the confident and electrifying energy that comes from Brazilian culture,” Perez wrote in an email. “As I mentioned before, I am no stranger to it, as I feel like my Dominican culture really does reflect it. Brazil is filled with color, vibrancy, great vibes, and fun.”
Briana Santana, Ms. Colombia and a junior majoring in accounting, performed Cumbia, a traditional Colombian dance that blends Indigenous, African and Spanish cultures. Eliana Amankwaa, Ms. Ecuador and a senior majoring in biology, brought out a model wearing Indigenous Ecuadorian fashion, showcasing a style as diverse and colorful as the country itself. Afterward, Miguel Reedy-Guevara, Mr. Chile and a junior double-majoring in geography and psychology, gave a guitar performance of rebellious Chilean rock music popularized under the Pinochet regime and many other vibrant displays of culture.
The talent portion gave contestants the opportunity to showcase what sets them apart from the rest of the competition. Yakina Sika-Amoah, Ms. Haiti and a sophomore double-majoring in global public health and biology, presented a spoken word poem that reflected not only her own resilience and determination, but Haiti’s as well.
After minutes for deliberation, the audience chose Ms. Colombia and Mr. Venezuela, represented by Edwin Enriquez Guiterrez, a senior double-majoring in women, gender and sexuality studies and biology, as their favorite competitors in the audience choice vote. Afterwards, it was time for contestants to answer questions pertaining to urgent issues facing their countries.
This segment opened the floor for many important topics, including increased immigration enforcement presence, preservation of the Amazon Rainforest and Bosawás Biosphere Reserve, safety for those across Latin America and the united front that Latinos can show to address these issues.
Finally, after a night of lively performances, the judges declared Ms. Brazil and Mr. Venezuela the winners of LASU’s 13th-annual Nuestra Belleza y Nuestro Galán Latinx.
“Being named LASU’s Nuestra Belleza meant that my hard work really paid off,” Perez wrote. “All my restless nights and back-to-back practices didn’t go to waste. It showed that I am truly capable of whatever I put my mind to. My energy is something that others can feel, and that truly was my goal. I am forever grateful for this experience and that everyone enjoyed my performance as much as I did.”
Each contestant took time to educate both themselves and the audience in this year’s pageant, helping to expand this illustrious tradition. With games, food and displays of culture that will not soon be forgotten, LASU continues to bring people together to celebrate a diverse Latin culture.
“Beyond the performances, many contestants come in having never done anything like this before, and the process pushes them to try things outside of their comfort zone,” Choquehuamani wrote. “That growth tends to show on stage, and the atmosphere only amplifies it. The music reverberating through the entire room, the roar of the crowd, and the energy of celebrating cultures that don’t always get this kind of spotlight make it an experience unlike anything else on campus.”