As if the doors were replaced with portals, entering Jacobus Lounge on the evening of October 2, one was transported to a new world; Latin America. The host of the night’s festivities, the Latin America Association, did a fabulous job of decorating; with stringed lights, the flags of Latin American countries, and even traditional Latin American food. These decorations invoked a warm, welcoming feeling.
The event in question; Latin Jazz and open mic night, featured New York based Latin jazz group, Willy Martinez & La Familia sextet performing original music live. We spoke with Willy, who, in addition to being honored to be playing here at Stevens, said that his group, which has been together for over ten years, aims to combine the rhythm of the Caribbean with the improvisational elements found in traditional jazz. For all the music lovers out there, this equated to an earful of absolute goodness.
Why have a Latin Jazz night in the first place, one may ask? We had this same question, and spoke with the president of the Latin American Association, Soany Heredia. She explained that September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage month, and this event is in recognition of that. She went on to explain that it is extremely important to share the Latin American culture with the rest of campus through food, music, and decoration. All of these are staples of Latin American households. Events like this change peoples’ preconceived perception of the Latin American community, and help to encourage more of a sense of community.
For those interested, the Latin American Association has bi-weekly meetings, and the next one is October 13 at 9:00 p.m. in Babbio 104. The Latin American Association will also be hosting a Day of the Dead event on October 29, and a food expo at some point in November, and invites all students to both events!
