Terriers in Charge: Kathya Correa Almanza (CAS’25)
Vice president, external affairs, Alianza Latina
“I was in search of people I could relate to and connect to,” says Correa Almanza, a first-gen student majoring in psychology and minoring in education. “The club gave me a place where I could be myself and meet kind, welcoming people from similar backgrounds, but where I could experience and learn about other Latinx cultures.”
The club meets each Tuesday at various locations across campus, most often at the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground. Programming includes everything from game nights and craft nights to workshops and alumni networking panels to community service projects to excursions to local restaurants specializing in Latinx cuisine. Alianza Latina also runs a special program, Hermanos, that pairs freshmen with sophomores and upperclassmen who function as parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents offering mentoring and serving as resources for how to navigate life on a big college campus.
Weekly events draw between 30 and 50 students, but some events like the club’s annual dance party, Explosion—taking place this year on Friday, March 24, in the Metcalf Ballroom at the George Sherman Union—can draw crowds of more than 200.
“I’ve really enjoyed seeing new members and seeing our club grow,” Correa Almanza says. “Every meeting, we see a new person, or multiple new people. And to see those people stick around and enjoy it, that is my favorite thing.”
As vice president of external affairs for the club, Correa Almanza is responsible for outreach to Latinx affinity clubs at other area schools, partnering to host speaker series and other events.
“To know that I’m growing into a version of myself that I’m proud of, and that I’m able to make people feel comfortable in different ways and build that community for themselves, really means a lot to me because that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life,” Correa Almanza says.
Interested in learning more about Alianza Latina? Follow them on Instagram and Facebook or email them at alianzal@bu.edu.
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