{shortcode-436ac9c761667e5a4f85e35ab1e44cf302a883fe}
More than 35 undergraduate and graduate students gathered Thursday evening at a town hall meeting to express frustration with what they perceive to be the lack of institutional support for the Latino community and disappointment in the community’s division on campus.
At the forum, sponsored by Concilio Latino, students voiced a wide range of specific concerns regarding their individual experiences as Latino students at Harvard and brainstormed potential solutions to be implemented this semester.
“I’m tired of being calm. I’m tired of not being heard,” said Christian Ramirez ’15, echoing a common sentiment shared by students who spoke at the event, dubbed LatinX and held in Ticknor Lounge.
Herbert B. Castillo ’14, one of the coordinators of the event, began the discussion by citing what he characterized as a history of weak support for Latinos in the College, ranging from the administration’s decision to turn down a program for Latino Studies in 2002 to the lack of a Latino cultural center on campus.
“I think it’s the right moment for us to be doing this,” Castillo said of the decision to create the event and bring together the Latino community in an interview after the event.
Other students expressed dissatisfaction with the amount and quality of resources available to minority students at Harvard.
Kristina D. Lorch ’17, a Crimson news editor, spoke of her disappointment upon discovering that the support systems at Harvard were missing the resources, like a cultural center, present at other universities like Yale and Stanford.
“It’s holding our community back,” she said.
Castillo said that he thinks Harvard’s organization responsible for minority groups, the Harvard Foundation, fails to provide adequate funding for student groups.
“We all kind of agree that it’s let us down,” Castillo said.
Other students said that they had trouble identifying with advisers assigned by the College.
“Although we have the PAF program, proctors, Race Relations tutors, I personally don’t really know who to go to,” Jasmine A. Fernandez ’16 said.
Nelida Garcia ’14 recounted her experiences with the Race Relations tutors in her House after an event last year which featured offensive stereotypes about Latinos.
Although the tutors were empathetic, she said, she was upset to discover “their role was, if you feel hurt, all you have to do is vent and that’s it. The administration doesn’t give them the power to do anything more than hear you out.”
Read more in College News
College Working Groups Make Campus Center RecommendationsRecommended Articles
-
In a Repeat of the 19th Century, Racist Academics and Politicians Are Attempting to Preserve White SupremacyOn April 8, 1996, Kenan Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield Jr. '53 published an article in The Crimson ("A
-
OSAPR Director To Depart for MITSarah Rankin, the administrator who expanded programming aimed at educating students about sexual prevention and awareness, will depart Harvard at the end of the month to fill the recently created position of Title IX Investigator for MIT.
-
Search Underway for New OSAPR DirectorAfter the departure of Sarah A. Rankin in September, The Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response has begun its search for a new director.
-
Students of Color Join To Further Conversation on Campus Race RelationsFollowing independent efforts to stimulate discussion, students of color gathered for a town hall Thursday to discuss race relations and issues of institutional support.
-
In Bright Red Lanyards, Prefrosh Take Visitas