Latino Cultural Center Mission Statement

The Latino Cultural Center, fondly known as La Casa, has a simple mission; it “promotes academic excellence, personal growth and cultural pride through a combination of support services and programming” (“About”). Throughout its forty-two year history, it has acted as a base for student activism, involvement, and support. La Casa has continually offered its students the opportunity to advocate for Latino representation, write for periodicals, and even establish Latino fraternities and sororities that remain active today. It helps students deal with the stress of being a minority in a new environment, offers them the opportunity to hear well-known speakers and display their culture for all to see (“Latino Timeline”). The Latino Cultural

In October 1974, the first Latino Affairs La Casa, a periodical, was published with the intent of acting as a voice for Latino culture and ideology (Administrative History). By ensuring information regarding Latinos could be circulated, the Office of Latino Affairs and the Latino Cultural Center helped significantly strengthen the sense of community among students and other members. ALMA continued to lobby for Latino representation on campus, finding increased success in light of gains from the Latino Civil Rights movement, including the 1976 Bilingual/Bicultural Act (“Latino Timeline”). The Indiana University Student’s Association (IUSA) worked to increase its minority representation; more organizations developed through La Casa, and there were more events on campus dedicated to Latin American culture. Latinos Unidos was established in 1979; the Indiana Hispanic Network in 1982; the Hispanic MBA Association in 2002 (“Latino Timeline”). In addition, there was the first annual Latin Week, the first Annual Festival, and the first Annual Midwest Hispanic Sports Fest. Service fraternities and sororities were formed and La Casa moved locations (“Latino Timeline”). With more time came more development and growth. Yet, throughout its history the Latino Cultural Center has never lost sight of its goals of creating a welcoming, student-oriented community that bonds Latinos together through mutual cultural pride and involvement. Latinidad has remained strong because the students have continued to consolidate their resources and ensure the combined Latino voice is heard loud and clear in the cultural