Night with NALFO, the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations, showcased an array of music, performances and presentations on Wednesday evening. Each organization highlighted its mission, history, requirements to join and initiatives to attendees in the Schine Student Center Underground. The event was a part of Latine Heritage Month events at SU that are running from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
Alhassan Bangura, vice president of NALFO and member of the Latine Heritage Month planning committee, said he deliberately aimed for the event to take place during the annual cultural observance.
Four Latine sororities and five fraternities held tables decked in paraphernalia, pamphlets, accolades and souvenirs representing each group’s history and core values. Ramirez said the event showed that Latine fraternities and sororities are a priority on campus.
As songs by artists like Bad Bunny, El Alfa and Meek Mill reverberated through the space, various organizations took to the stage, showcasing their talents. Each group performed dances affiliated with the Multicultural Greek Council, while other chapters cheered from the sidelines.
The members participated in strolling, a synchronized rhythmic dance traditionally performed by historically Black sororities and fraternities. Performers moved across the stage decorated in Greek letters, dancing to music genres like Dembow, Reggaeton, old-school hip-hop throwbacks and even creating their own beats.
National President of Lambda Theta Phi Jeffrey Chavez came to the event from Connecticut. He said this sense of community was absent during his undergraduate years at Central Connecticut State University.
“I think the culture of Greek life has changed a lot. To be honest, it was quite petty, with a lot of drama,” Chavez said. “There is now much more Greek unity and support among organizations.”
