Nuestra Cultura

The community found within Mi Gente’s annual fall gathering

By Marie Ronnander

In English, “Mi Gente” translates to “my people.”. This is a phrase of acceptance; an embrace to come home to. All are welcome. Fittingly, this is the name of the most prominent Llatinx cultural group on UMN’s campus. But to call Mi Gente simply a cultural group is a disservice. From the mouth of their Co-President, Andy Warriner, Mi Gente is “not a club, but a community.” Each minute of the group’s annual event, Nuestra Cultura, pulsed with this sentiment.

As I walked through the doors of Rapson this plast Saturday, I was welcomed with the faint rhythms of Llatin music and a mouthwatering waft of Manny’s Tortas (delicious little Mexicanmexican sandwiches). String lights hung from thearound walls, warmly illuminating the smiling faces of everyonethose who came to enjoy the festivities. People clustered throughout the courtyard, talking intensely, with bursts of laughter escaping every other minute. I felt as though I had stumbled upon a secret family reunion, but instead of being turned awayout, I was pulled right in.

The evening started with the food, which is typically a favorite of mine. I grabbed myself a veggie torta, a lime Jarritos, and nestled into a back corner. I was lucky enough to know a friend at the event, and we raged over Spring Break plans and the sweet hell that has been fall semester. Midway through our recaps, we were cut -off by the foot stomps of the Kappa King.

Jessie Lara Pliego, better known as JC, better known as THE Kappa King, danced, sang, and out-fit- changed about six separate times in his live -performance. The speed and grace at which that man went from song to song was nothing short of impressive. This show was closely followed by the group’s very own DJ, Jose Vasquez, who conveniently happens to be the host of RadioK’s Local Vibes. As soon as DJ 8-Track turned the dial, and feet hit the dance floor.

Now, when the dancing began, I immediately felt a casual sense of dread. While yes, I did haved 11eleven years of dance lessons under my belt, I had also just gotten out of my cast from a (very) broken fibula. Any sense of rhythm in my body had swiftly vanished in the wake of these three fractures in my bone. Because of this fact, I was trying my best to look very invested in my sideline conversations— -my napkin fidgeting skills were also getting some practice. But Mi Gente is a community, and everyone is accepted… even included.

Despite all my evasions, Natalia Obregon Ibañez, the group’s PR representative, pulled me to the center of the dance floor. Taking both my hands, she began to step and swing, showing me the traditional three-step taps of the bachata. She smiled and laughed to the music, forgiving any -and -all of my missteps (and there were very many). While we were shuffling away, she pointed me towards different group members with smiles and waves.

Thanks to Natalia, I had the opportunity to talk with various group members throughout the rest of the night. Every person I talked to voiced athis great sense of gratitude for their community. As someone who lives and breathes the life of a majority on campus, I am constantly surrounded by people with similar backgrounds and culture. For Latinx students who make up only 4% of the student body, this is very much not the case. For them, finding Mi Gente’s room on the third floor of Coffman was like finding a family.

This was the case for Sebas Osario, the club’s family program coordinator, who started going to the Mi Gente’s room after being invited by a couple of friends. “Sometimes I just spend my whole day there,” he laughs. The family program was started in order to amplify this remarkably close -community feeling. Members of the club are all put into small groups for the semester, so that they have a support system on campus to fall back on. Andy describes this as, “just a group of people tryna hang out,.” Which I think is so absolutely lovely.

If you missed Nuestra Cultura, first of all, I’m so sorry for your loss; , second of all, don’t fret—t. The group has three annual events. Orgullo is an outdoorsside dance that rings in each fall, and, from what I gather, is the favorite of the members. Coming up in the spring isthere’s Primavera, , which is a cultural banquet. There’s whispers of a student film festival occurringhappening in February, so keep your eyes peeled for those dates. Any event put on by Mi Gente is guaranteed to feel like a welcoming space.