LUNA members (clockwise, from center) nursing junior Fernando Nerio, Mexican American studies graduate student Janie Camero, music education freshman Kathleen Camero, interdisciplinary studies graduate student Alejandro Sanchez and Learning Center Program Specialist Julio Mireles chat last Wednesday in the Life and Health Sciences Building courtyard on the Brownsville campus. LUNA will participate in "Noche de MAS" on Wednesday. VICTOR G. RAMIREZ/THE RIDER
The Mexican American Studies program will host its semesterly “Noche de MAS” at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Salón Cassia on the Brownsville campus.
“We’ve done this since 2015 to promote the [Mexican American Studies] program here on the Brownsville campus,” said Christopher Carmona, coordinator of the UTRGV Mexican American Studies program in Brownsville and a creative writing assistant professor.
The recruitment event will include presentations from LUNA (La Unión de Nepantleras de Aztlán); the launch of The Chachalaca Review, a journal produced by students; a performance of Marimba Reyna del Valle; and free food.
LUNA, which is the Mexican American Studies student club on the Brownsville campus, promotes identity and incubates self-awareness of Mexican-American culture, according to the organization’s flyer.
“We started in November and the organization is mainly to help people grow their identity,” said Janie Camero, a graduate student in Mexican American Studies and president of LUNA. “You know, no longer being passive members of the Mexican-American community, but [also] learn to be active and be more aware.”
The organization is looking for new members and has no language requirements.
“We accept members who are English speakers or Spanish speakers,” Camero said. “Really, it’s not about the language that you speak, but the part of the community you’re from.”
Admission is free and open to the public.
For more information, email Carmona at christopher.carmona@utrgv.edu or Camero at janie.camero01@utrgv.edu.
