By BRIANA SPINA
Layout Editor
Though the MidKnight Eats conference room is small, Sabor Latino brought big energy at A Night in Havana, their first event of the year. The party happened the night of Friday, Sept. 20, and there was a sizable turnout of people , more than Sabor Latino president Jaysalee Salcedo expected. Salcedo, a junior, talked about why Sabor Latino chose to celebrate Cuban heritage.
“We wanted to do something that incorporated more cultures than we usually represent… We want to introduce to the campus that there is more to Hispanic culture,” said Salcedo. “Our mission statement is to educate, so we are hoping to do that through this event.”
Cuban heritage is far from the only heritage celebrated by Sabor Latino; the club is inclusive of all Hispanic cultures.
“We want to get to a point where we celebrate every Latin culture,” said Brian Concepcion, a senior and Sabor Latino’s vice president. “This is a family; this is a home.”
The space was adorned with string lights, a photoshoot area, and colorful photos of Cuba. There was a sweets and mocktails table, featuring Malta Goya, a non-alcoholic malt beverage of Carribean origin. Kim Sacchi of the Sabor Latino events committee worked on the decor, and she described it as “cute and homey.”
“We want Sabor Latino to be one of those clubs that hosts great events,” said Concepcion. “We want people to keep coming.”
The event-goers were engaged the whole night. It started off with a pop-up performance of the Sabor Latino dance team, which was an exclusive performance that they will only do a couple of times this semester. For many of the dancers, it was their first performance. According to Concepcion, this dance was different from other dances of the club’s past because they are “trying to be more theatrical and realistic.”
There was music playing the whole night, which was picked based on songs that are popular in Cuba, as well as other Latin American music and jazz. Aside from the performance, many people were dancing along. People could also play dominos, a game close to Cubans’ hearts.
Cuban student Susej Mendoza shared a piece of her personal heritage through an art piece. It was her first public display of her art. The painting represented her father, brother, and grandparents immigrating to the United States from Cuba.
“Castro exiled my father and his family because he was a protester against communism,” said Mendoza. She was grateful for the opportunity to share her story.
Anamaris Miro, a sophomore and the dance captain of Sabor Latino, gave salsa lessons to the event-goers. She taught them the Basic Salsa Step and The Cuban.
“Salsa was something I grew up with,” said Miro, who is from Puerto Rico. “I want the campus to feel free to do our type of dance.”
The night ended with a dance competition. People who wanted to compete, not including members of the Sabor Latino e-board, all got up on stage and freestyle danced along to 3 different songs. The audience voted by applause for who should win, and the winners were a dance pair, Kevin Martin and Maria Diaz.
Overall, Salcedo thought the event was a success, and Concepcion agreed.
“It was what we intended— a family vibe,” said Concepcion. “We want students to be comfortable in college and with Sabor Latino.” Creating a close environment in Sabor Latino is important to the e-board, so students can find a home in the club.
“I came to Sabor Latino because I wanted to find a club where I would fit in,” said Miro. “I ran for dance captain to get out of my comfort zone… I found my group.”
