Latinos Unidos de M-A (LUMA) is an M-A club established to promote Latin American heritage and culture. Michelle Cristerna, unofficial advisor and supporter of the club, says the purpose of the club is “to promote cultural awareness around latinos and latino heritage and cultural traditions.” She also says the club looks to provide academic support for members and to create a constructive environment and community. The club meets every Wednesday in C-13, and occasionally after school if there are upcoming events. In the past, the club has collaborated with members of the leadership classes to host activities such as International Day.
The club has recently graduated many seniors, but members are hopeful that the club will grow after Club Rush sign-ups. During Club Rush, LUMA will be accepting members and giving information about the club. In celebration of certain events such as Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and independence days for many of the Latin American countries, the club will host activities.
Just this Wednesday, the club held an event in the PAC cafeteria to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and September as a month historically known for several independence movements; Mexico, Chile, Guatemala, and El Salvador are just a few of the nations celebrated. The event included traditional, ethnic foods from Latin American countries and members of the club represented the diverse cultures present. Students danced and participated in games during the celebration.
The LUMA club strives to represent the latino population at M-A and to educate and promote valuable culture and heritage. LUMA helps students recognize the importance of latino culture as it relates to such a large population of M-A. Look out for LUMA in upcoming events and activities planned such as Día De Los Muertos in the beginning of September, and in collaborative events with leadership.
