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On Saturday night, Unidas Seremos hosted its fourth annual Ritmo Latino fundraiser night, a sold-out event full of dancing and community. A multicultural undergraduate organization aimed at empowering all self-identifying women, the RSO made close to $3,000 to go directly toward scholarships for first-year female students.
From 8 p.m. to midnight, over 300 attendees of all majors and ethnicities gathered in Gould Hall’s high-ceilinged atrium to dance, socialize, and experience music from all over Latin America. Open to the whole campus community, this event mimicked its predecessor put on last March with a full house and enthusiastic participants. Interest was so high that pre-sale tickets sold out after only two days of tabling in Red Square.
“This dance is something that has always been successful and I think it’s genuinely because people like to go out and just have fun,” club treasurer Natalia Esquivel-Silva said. “With the current political climate, there is a lot of division on campus, so this event is a place for people to get together, release a bit of stress, and learn about our culture.”
Some basic dance instruction in the merengue, bachata, and cumbia styles was provided at the beginning of the evening and after that the dance floor was never empty. The music was overseen by DJ Freddy.
The night’s $1,000 scholarship recipient was Ambar Aleman, a freshman member of Unidas Seremos as well a chair for The Purple Group, a peer support network for undocumented students on campus. It was also announced that a second $1,000 scholarship is now available for those who want to study abroad. Any woman of color who is a UW student is encouraged to apply.
Unidas Seremos has come a long way in four years. Esquivel-Silva remembers her freshman year, when $500 was the most that they could award scholarship recipients. Now they have the funds for two $1,000 awards with hopes for expansion in the coming years.
Founded in 1998, the group has aimed to serve the UW student body by empowering women and creating a space for outreach and mentorship. Members provide academic support to each other, participate in community service, and hold fundraisers like Ritmo Latino.
Though consisting of mostly Latina members, Unidas Seremos is meant for all self-identifying women, with meetings in the Chicano room of the Ethnic Cultural Center every Monday at 6 p.m. This year, membership is upwards of 50 people, with weekly meeting attendance at 30 strong.
“Once you’re in Unidas, you’re part of the family,” fundraising chair Yesenia Mendoza said.
This year was the first time Ritmo Latino provided food, with The Purple Group selling snacks throughout the night and all proceeds going toward their organization. The event was also sponsored by Essentia, which provided free waters for all.
“It’s like home,” attendee Brytania Deloza said. “Coming to a school so big, it’s nice to be surrounded by your culture. You know you’re not alone.”
It is highly anticipated that Unidas Seremos will continue growing, and the UW community can be sure to catch the fifth annual Ritmo Latino next year, hopefully at a larger venue.
Maya Kanga 