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Students celebrate Latino culture at AGAPE celebration
Ryan William Cox staff writer rwc722@cabrini.edu
Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
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The pounding drums seem to echo in your already shaken chest. You take a step forward, a step back, then to the left, to the right. The rhythm of the music soars through your veins, awakening all of your senses. You are dancing the "merengue."
On Saturday, Sept. 20, ~~1n., students and alumni ~ended tpe fourth annual AGAPE aii"on-campus gathering sponsored by the Alumni Diversity Council. "It was simply awesome," Maritza DeJesus, a guest of the evening and director of the tutoring center, said."Everyone seemed to have a great time."
Martha Dale, director of the Alumni Diversity Council, worked with Shirley Dickson, class of '84, Rachel Slaughter, _classof '89, and Jeri Rayon, class of '94 to bring "Caliente" to students Saturday night. At the celebration, students were able to socialize with one another, as well as with a panel of alumni.
"Students talked with alumni about anything ranging from college life, to where to get a job afterwards," Elidari Ramos, vice president of Latinos Unidos, said. Latinos Unidos is a new on-campus group that is designed to celebrate Latino culture.
"The idea behind 'Caliente,' was to give support to students," said Martha Dale. At the gathering, students were able to enjoy Hispanic culture through the consumption of ethnic foods and the participation in ethnic dance. "New students were able to choose from an array of ethnic-cooked foods such as chicken and rice, only to be topped by desserts," Dejesus said
The menu consisted of empanaditas as an orderve, then a shift to tropical salsa with fried tortillas, vegetable paella, callo de hacha con aquacate, rum pound cake, and finally, ante de mamey o durazna peach cake.
According to some students the food was well prepared and highly enjoyable. If consuming deliciously made food was not enough to experience Latino culture for some, stu- dents were also able to take part in r a massive dance session.
Attending the celebration was a
