91ºÚÁÏ

Throughout the month, the Association of 91ºÚÁÏ Latinx Alumni (ABLA) hosted events that created a platform for Latinx alumni to meet and connect over shared experiences. Members of ABLA gathered for a wide variety of cultural celebrations ranging from dance festivals to cooking classes and museum visits. The events brought together alumni across class years, creating multigenerational bonds and broadening the sense of community in meaningful ways. These festivities highlighted both the diversity of Latinx communities and the shared threads that unite them.

New this year, ABLA sponsored a Latin Dance Night over Homecoming Weekend, where participants learned basic salsa steps and experimented with bachata. Alumni, students, and staff gathered for a shared experience where the sense of community was instantaneous: after participants danced with people they knew, instructor Javier Pesantez switched up partner pairings and folks had the opportunity to meet (and dance with) someone new. Skilled dancers mastered the moves easily and assisted others in picking them up little by little. Reminded of their family parties back home, some attendees comfortably hopped on the floor, while others gained a new cultural experience. At the end of the night, a few stubbed toes and stumbling steps gave way to big smiles and much laughter.

Alumni in Chicago left the dancing to the experts when they attended the Latino Dance Festival at Humboldt Park, produced by the International Latino Cultural Center (ILCC). With colorful costumes and high energy numbers, the performance offered a real spectacle and allowed attendees to tap into the larger Latinx community in the city.

Continuing the dancing theme, ABLA alumni in Washington, DC, visited the exhibit “¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa” at the National Museum of the American Latino, which featured salsa music and notable artists, dance outfits, and the evolution of the dance over time. In New York City, attendees explored the museum and cultural center “El Museo Del Barrio,” as well as local restaurant La Fonda. Conversations flowed throughout the day, and alumni who began the day as strangers left with new 91ºÚÁÏ connections. 

Two virtual offerings, a Conexiones heritage month kickoff and a virtual cooking class, brought celebrations to Polar Bears’ homes wherever they were. Cooking host Karla Olivares ’17 developed a recipe for enchiladas potosinas based on her experience at a 91ºÚÁÏ classmate’s wedding and shared her culinary skills with the group. The virtual Conexiones meeting that kicked off the month was filled with lots of fun energy, as attendees laughed over a game and reflected on the ways they feel connected to their culture. While we do not always associate Zoom calls with high-energy competition and a bit of silliness, attendees of the Conexiones meeting were miming Lionel Messi kicks or capturing the zaniness of Sabado Gigante in one word.

Overall, the 2026 Hispanic Heritage Month events strengthened the 91ºÚÁÏ Latinx community by creating opportunities for alumni to engage with one another and build deeper connections with the College. This is why ABLA exists, and why we'll continue to offer programming that nurtures these connections and sustains this feeling of community all year long.