With a Black student population of only 4.5%, every time I enter a classroom, I am reminded of the low Black population at the University of Texas. It’s sad to say that I’m used to it, but this isn’t something Black students at UT should have to adapt to.
I know what I signed up for when deciding to attend UT: a small Black population with a strong community. Attending this university is a sacrifice for marginalized students– the opportunity to receive an exceptional education while only seeing people who look like you at events for you.
Senate Bill 17 threatened events like Black Graduation and New Black Student Weekend. When I learned this, I became frustrated because I would not have met most of my friends without New Black Student Weekend.
SB 17 also removed the Multicultural Engagement Center, Women’s Gender and Sexuality Center and the entirety of the Division of Campus Community and Engagement.
The recent changes have inspired me to continue educating myself on issues affecting my community and what I can do to help, leading me to learn about the Afro-Latin Student Association.
Doctoral student Eliane Nascimento came to the University of Texas and faced culture shock, leading her to create the Afro-Latin Student Association last semester. With a group of doctoral and international students in the African & African Diaspora Studies Department, Nascimento started an organization that is the first of its kind at the University of Texas.
It’s captivating that Nascimento created a new organization in the midst of SB 17. Many student organizations such as Afrikan American Affairs had to become registered student organizations rather than university-sponsored ones. Now, Afrikan American Affairs is fundraising on GoFundMe to continue to stay afloat.
Nascimento shared that Afro-Latino students must have more spaces to talk and celebrate their Latinx roots because many seek a sense of belonging.
“They look at me and I’m African-American. But in my case, it can be more dangerous opening my mouth here because I’m an immigrant, Black and a woman,” Nascimento said.
Nascimento’s experience at UT showcases the challenges marginalized communities face, especially in underrepresented areas. She faces layers of discrimination, regarding her complexion and accent, when she shouldn’t at all. Her worry about whether to speak or not is why organizations need to be open to diverse perspectives and willing to embrace them.
“We need (marginalized) organizations during these hard times,” Nascimento said.
Many graduate students in the African & African Diaspora Studies Department are Black, but only a few are international and even fewer are Afro-Latino.
“As an international student you are kind of lost here,” Nascimento said. “We are not from the U.S., we are from Latin America, we are Black.”
Now the president of the association, Nascimento and other founders put their money toward the organization because the university no longer funds DEI organizations due to the new law.
The organization officially launched in February with the mission to strengthen the presence of the Afro-Latino community at UT. The association is open to all students interested in learning about Afro-Latin culture.
Wanting undergraduate representation, Nascimento sought out freshman officer Jesus Pequeno for support.
“It was an amazing match, an amazing connection,” Nascimento said. “I always tell him that I’m super happy that he is with us because he brings this kind of youthful energy and also connects us with the undergrads.”
Pequeno was seeking an Afro-Latino community when he was first accepted to UT. At such a large university, he was surprised he couldn’t find one. Although he participated in Black undergraduate organizations on campus, his experiences varied, and it was challenging to build the community he was looking for.
“A little sense of home was missing,” Pequeno said. “The community was there, it was just not a community yet.”
Pequeno and Nascimento shared the feeling of having to choose between Black and Hispanic organizations, which is similar to picking an ethnicity box. 6 million people in the United States identify as Afro-Latino, but in most cases, that’s not an option to choose.
“It makes me feel that I am not accurate, not being able to pick both,” Pequeno said,
It’s unfortunate that organizations for all ethnic backgrounds are not in place, and there needs to be more organizations at UT that celebrate culture. If anything, Nascimento creating an organization for her community should be the motivation you need to join an organization that serves your community. The first step is celebrating and embracing your culture on your own.
Proud of both of their cultures, it’s not fair to Nascimento and Pequeno to only pick between one part of who they are.
“This feeling of being alone takes all of our power of hope, happiness and belief that life can change,” Nascimento said.
The association had its first event on March 4– one year since Nascimento had the idea to start the organization. The event featured music, food and activities and had over 25 undergraduate students in attendance.
“This day to meet was something where I was pretty happy,” she said.
Ultimately, the UT Afro-Latin Student Association’s narrative is about more than just starting a student organization—it’s about the fortitude, inventiveness, and undying spirit of oppressed populations in the face of hardship. It’s about creating areas of empowerment and belonging where none previously existed and laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and egalitarian future.
Amid SB 17, the Afro-Latin Student Association plans to grow and evolve, leaving a legacy students can reflect on.
“We’re here, we exist,” Pequeno said. “And we’re going to keep working because we’re students.”
