LMU’s Chicano Latino Student Services (CLSS) office has supported the Latinx student community on-campus for more than 50 years. CLSS educates the campus about Latina/o issues and ethnic diversity represented within the community. CLSS also partners with Latinx registered student organizations on programming.
This year the focus of CLSS is about building and reconnecting as a community. Like in many areas, the pandemic had a substantial impact on the Latinx community. Latinx students need to have a space dedicated to supporting their needs through this transitional period. Many of the CLSS events will be hosted in a hybrid format (both in-person and on zoom) to support this transition. This allows faculty, students, and staff to participate, learn from the events, and prioritize safety.
Students who are interested in getting involved with CLSS should come to any of the department’s events. Since CLSS isn’t a student organization, people have the opportunity to be selective about what and when they want to participate, join events, or get involved. CLSS is also looking into hosting things like study hours and commuter-specific study spaces in the middle of the day, so there are different options and times to get involved.
Latinx student organizations are also an extension of CLSS, so students can get involved in the Latinx community on-campus by joining these student organizations, supporting fundraisers, and going to the events of both CLSS and the student organizations. Meet the Latinx student organizations:
El Espejo Mentoring Program
“El Espejo,” Spanish for “mirror,” is inspired by the experience of encountering another person and recognizing a common connection; our motto is “I see myself in you.” Founded in 1993, El Espejo is a mentoring program that connects LMU students with high-risk students at Lennox Middle School. Connect on Instagram.
Grupo Folklorico de LMU
Grupo Folklórico de LMU is a group of students who celebrate the richness of Mexican folkloric culture within the LMU community. Connect on Instagram.
Indigenous Student Union
Indigenous Student Union aims to cultivate a safe space, be an additional source of empowerment and unite the Indigenous students and their accomplices at LMU. Connect on Instagram.
Latino Student Union
Latino Student Union (LSU) seeks to collaborate with other organizations on campus, including but not limited to multiethnic organizations, to create a more connected student body. The organization will build community amongst ourselves to address better all of the issues affecting the Latino identity and culture. Connect on Instagram.
Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan
Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan (M.E.Ch.A.) focuses on the political, social and educational experience of the Chicano/a, Latina/o. M.E.Ch.A. is committed to education about culture, the interaction of the people within its cultures, and the role of Chicanas/os in the LMU community and the larger society. Connect on Instagram.
RESILIENCE
RESILIENCE is a support network for undocumented students/allies within the LMU community and outside of LMU that consists of faculty, staff, and outside organizations. This collaboration offers resources and a safe environment to undocumented students and allies. Connect on Instagram.
Spanish Club
The Spanish Club organizes different cultural activities related to the Latino/Hispanic world (i.e., movie nights, poetry readings, Día de los Muertos celebration) throughout the academic year. La Voz: An undergraduate journal published by the Spanish club. It includes research papers, creative writing (i.e., short stories, poetry) and artistic work. Connect on Instagram.
Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity, Inc.
Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity is a social fraternity that was founded in 1986 at the University of Iowa. It is based on cultural understanding and wisdom. They believe in the principles of fairness, opportunity, and in the equality of all men no matter what their race, culture or ethnicity. Connect on Instagram.
Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority, Inc.
Sigma Lambda Gamma is a sisterhood of women who have chosen this affiliation as a manner to achieve personal development and awareness to the responsibility of community involvement for the betterment of our local, regional, national and global communities. Today, Sigma Lambda Gamma is the largest, historically Latina-based national sorority with a multicultural membership in chapters and alumnae associations throughout the U.S. Connect on Instagram.
Students for Labor and Economic Justice
Students for Labor and Economic Justice (SLEJ) is a support network for workers within the LMU community and made up of student activists committed to educating, organizing, and mobilizing our local community in support of fair labor, environmental and economic practices. Connect on Instagram.
The CLSS office is located on the second floor of the Malone Student Center suite 201 and is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about CLSS, visit their website, connect with them on LEO or follow them on Instagram.
Photo by: Malik Gay-Banuelos