In a university where 74 percent of the student population is white and four percent is Hispanic, it is very rare to hear salsa, bachata, or someone speaking in Spanish.  

On Wednesday, April 4, Latino students met for the first time in front of Talley Student Union simply to gather and create a space all their own.

Approximately 50 students participated in the first Mi Placita, and students hope to continue the tradition every Wednesday.

 Mi Placita is one of the first projects by Nelson Santiago, the new assistant director of Multicultural Student Affairs. 

 “I came up with this when I spoke to Latino students and they told me they wanted a stronger Latin presence on campus,” Santiago said. “I want the students to take ownership of this and for future students to make it grow and develop a tradition.”

As the music played, students danced, played dominoes, kicked a soccer ball around and caught up with friends. Talley Student Union seemed like an ideal place to be seen by other students, and some even stopped and asked the group what they were doing. Mi Placita opens the door for incoming Latino students to feel welcome on campus and seeks to attract more Latino students to come to N.C. State.  

“Mi placita is a place where people can go and share their love for the Latino culture. I loved that we could go, hangout, dance and enjoy the weather while meeting all the other students,” Guadalupe Arce~Jimenez, a senior in agriculture extension education said. “I think it’s important because it allows freshmen and upperclassmen to meet and hopefully be friends. It also allows others to see that there are Latinos on campus and that they can join us and learn about our culture.”

Though the Latino community is underrepresented on campus, with a weekly informal gathering like Mi Placita, the voices and culture can still be heard by other communities on campus. People can become educated about Latino culture in an inclusive way that brings others into the community. 

“I like the Hispanic theme around it because it is something I can connect with on a cultural level,” Omar Acosta, a senior in biological sciences, said. “Overall I love the idea because it’s something I feel Latinos on campus could use to relieve stress while strengthening bonds with their fellow Latinos.” 

 “The Latino culture is all about being welcoming and we want to share that piece of the culture with the campus and show what it’s like to be inclusive and inviting to everyone,” Santiago said