UNC Latinx Center Has Ribbon Cutting, Celebrates Its Community’s Efforts

After nearly a decade of advocacy for a place of their own, UNC’s Latinx community celebrated the official opening of the Carolina Latinx Center last Friday.

The gathering of people outside of Abernethy Hall was reflective of the community effort to create a center for UNC’s Latinx population. Current students, faculty and university officials spoke and performed a ribbon cutting. While the center has been open since July, the ceremony was held so former students and retired officials could attend and see the results of their efforts of the last 10 years since the Carolina Latinx Collaborative was born.

Josmell Pérez, the director of the new center, reflected on the first time a student came into his office and said the Latinx community needed their own space on UNC’s campus. When he first began advocating for a center, he and his wife had just met. Friday, with his daughters in attendance, Pérez said it was incredible to see the journey come full circle.

“As an immigrant myself from Peru, I have firsthand experiences of the challenges and obstacles Latinx people face daily,” said Pérez. “I am thrilled there is a space on our campus that we all love here to create a sense of community among all faculty, staff and students. This space will help educate and celebrate the many aspects and contributions of the Latinx community at UNC and beyond.”

The CLC was unanimously approved by the school’s Board of Trustees in January. In the new space, the Latinx community will have a better way to connect with each other and engage UNC students looking to learn about the culture to improve inclusiveness on campus.

Associate journalism professor Paul Cuadros was a key advocate for the center’s development. He pointed out the importance of a space like this because of the growing Latinx population at UNC and across the country.

“We are a young community,” said Cuadros. “The median age of Latinx people here in North Carolina and the United States is 26 years old. We’re a population that’s growing, and the student population is the fastest growing in the state. We want those kids when they come to Carolina to be welcomed and we want their professors to be welcomed as well.”

UNC sophomore and Latinx Center ambassador Jacqueline Santillan shared her story and thanked those at the ceremony for their involvement advocating for the center. Although she’s not been at Carolina for very long, she said she still feels like part of the center’s development as it now becomes available for the UNC community. Santillan said a conversation with her sister, an alumna, helped her realize how lucky she is.

“[My sister] graduated in 2014,” she said. “It’s crazy because now she says, ‘I can’t believe there’s a Latinx Center at you’re working at it. When I was there, our community and population didn’t really have anywhere to go.’ She thought it was really interesting that I was able to speak today [at its ceremony].”

Santillan said the center is already seeing lots of action with students and that its importance will only continue to grow.

“This is open all day, and I see students all day studying, coming here with committees and making meetings. I never really saw that at the Carolina Latinx Collaborative. Now that we have a place to call ours, it’s really impactful.”

The Carolina Latinx Center will be holding more events at UNC to celebrate Latin Heritage Month, which ends October 15.