The Pursuit of Community Is Always Worth It

As Latin Heritage Month has come to an end, I’d like to reflect on my own Latinidad and heritage. 

I was born and raised in New York City, where there is a high Latino and Caribbean population. In my Bronx neighborhood, my identity is quickly perceived; elders ask me for directions in Spanish, deli and grocery store owners ask how my family is, and my neighbors greet me with bendiciones, or blessings. 

So, it goes without saying that arriving at a predominantly white institution has been somewhat of a shock for me. At Columbia, I have had to learn how to be a minority, including how to navigate spaces where not just Latinos, but Afro-Latinos such as myself, are not widely represented. Not only am I a racial and ethnic minority on campus, but I am also not perceived as being Latina. I see eyebrows raise when I mention my ethnic background, something I have had to get used to. This adjustment has been followed by code-switching and self-surveilling my behaviors to circumvent the negative stereotypes associated with my race, behaviors I have to remind myself not to get accustomed to.

The realization that the Hispanic community is not as large as it seems was and still is shocking to me because the majority of the dining hall, facilities, security, and front desk staff are either Black, Caribbean, Hispanic, or a mix of all three. Not only this, but Columbia is located in the heart of Harlem, and our student population does not reflect our proximity to one of the most culturally significant Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in New York City. While Columbia does make an effort to support Latin visibility (see the Dominican Independence Day celebration in the dining halls), it is quite easy to feel alienated. Being on a campus where the majority of your peers are of a different racial and ethnic background, I must actively search for belonging as an Afro-Latina student. All of this has led me to wonder: Where can my community be found? 

It took a while to answer this question, even on a campus as wide as this one. Recently, I’ve been enjoying spending my time with Latin organizations, particularly Grupo Quisqueyano, Columbia’s Dominican students’ society. Here, I have had the opportunity to meet other Hispanic students and connect over cultural foods and games in a judgment-free zone with both undergrads and graduates. I have also appreciated the increased outreach and unity efforts of clubs like CU Sol, the Student Organization of Latines, which have sent out newsletters compiling Latin-centered events, including tours through Spanish Harlem, volunteer opportunities with immigrant advocacy group Project Rousseau, and even parties. 

Dancing to familiar rhythms from our countries of origin, connecting over foods made with the same spices and flavors, and singing along to the music of our childhoods (shoutout Aventura) have all grounded me. Additionally, supporting members of the wider Harlem neighborhood with the resources we as Ivy League students are privileged to have access to has not only been empowering on this predominantly white campus, but it has been equally healing, a reminder of the culture I am proud to represent as I pursue my degree. 

All in all, the more time I spend on this campus, the more I am reminded that there is no success without community, and I am grateful to have found it.

• community
• hispanic heritage month