If you were to walk into a Hispanic/Latino student union, you wouldn’t just find a community, you’d find a family. From community service projects to dance practices for the upcoming multicultural assembly, HLSU isn’t just a club, it’s a welcoming space where community and culture thrive.
With over 47 regularly attending members, HLSU has become a space for students of all backgrounds, not just those who identify as Hispanic or Latino. Some students are called “honorary Mexicans” by the group.
“We welcome anybody,” Horst-Apodaca said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from—we want you to learn about our culture and experience it with us.”
First-time advisor and second-year teacher Christina Horst stepped in just two weeks before last year’s multicultural assembly.
Horst-Apodaca brings the group deep cultural roots and a strong sense of family. She even sewed all the costumes for last year’s dancers and helped choreograph traditional bailes folklóricos
“We just try to let people know what we are, what we’re about, and what we’re involved in,” Senior and HLSU President Katie Cruz said. “We do things like food drives, the winter carnival, and Trunk or Treat. We try to express what our club is really about.”
Club meetings aren’t only entertaining but highly organized, with student-led PowerPoint agendas, sign-in sheets, and note-taking by the secretary. Each member contributes to discussions about new volunteer opportunities, fundraising ideas, and upcoming workshops. The structure of the meetings encourages participation and collaboration, creating a welcoming environment for everyone involved.
Both Katie and Horst emphasized how the club feels like a family, supportive, warm, and always helpful. “Our culture is so focused on family,” Advisor Horst said. “Even if someone doesn’t have much, they’ll still give what they can. That’s just who we are.”
The one message that HLSU wants to spread is; that everyone is welcome!
