I’ve been on the e-board of La Unidad since my sophomore year. I’ve had the honor of serving as the Secretary: the person who takes meeting notes and sends emails. However, some events and tasks really need all hands on deck, no matter what someone’s position entails. Noche Latina is one of those events.
Definitely our largest event of the year, Noche Latina is held in Chapin Auditorium as a Latine Heritage Month celebration. It is a beautiful event highlighting Latinidad on our campus, full of performances, music, food, and community. It is such a wonderful night where we all gather to bask in our cultures. It is also, being very honest, a PAIN to plan.
Planning starts in the Summer, with several e-board meetings to discuss the theme and get started on decoration brainstorming. During the Fall, everything is in hyperdrive: catering, finding performers, decorating Chapin, rehearsal…
The week leading up to Noche Latina has daily rehearsals in Chapin from 7-10PM. That time is used for performers to rehearse, e-board members to decorate the space, and the stage crew to troubleshoot anything that might come up. One might think “that’s so little, I’m sure you can finish decorating in one day and just laze around the rest of the time.” NOPE! Couldn’t be further from the truth!
Many times, performers need help finalizing their stunts. They need help picking lighting, stage cues, and even just whether or not they sound good. With the help of the stage crew, we all make the performer feel at home and ready for the big night, which can take some time. Additionally, decoration plans aren’t set in stone– sometimes we put things up and they look ugly, so we must pivot. I can guarantee you that all of us are on our feet basically the entire time.
It’s tiring. Planning for Noche Latina is really tiring and stressful. But it’s also so, so rewarding. When you spend basically all night, the entire week with the same people, you’re bound to bond. You become automatic besties, even more than before. Seeing the finished product at the end is proof of all our hard work, especially when you know folks are having fun. That’s what it’s all about.
My suggestion to you is to support the student organizations that make events like Noche Latina happen. Attend our events. Sign up for our Embark. All of those things help us get funding, which is needed to make events the most fun possible. Give back to us so we can give back to you!