Alumni, students, faculty, and staff gathered Sept. 27-29 to celebrate 50 years of the University of Iowa Latino and Native American Alumni Alliance at its Alumni Alliance Reunion.
The event was hosted by the UI Latino and Native American Alumni Alliance, the Latino Native American Cultural Center, and the Division of Student Life. Celebrations were hosted throughout Iowa City and around campus, which included a variety of speakers, social events, art and music presentations, and workshops over the three-day celebration.
Films such as “Nelly Queen: The Life & Times of José Sarria and Mariposa Ancestral Memory” created by alumni were showcased. UI Writers Workshop alumni Sandra Cisneros, Joy Harjo, and Juan Felipe Herrera also attended the event, where they shared their stories and experiences along with advice.
In addition, the event allowed many individuals and groups from around the community to come together and connect. Several colleges from the UI, such as the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, Tippie College of Business, and others from around campus donated and supported the event.
Over the years, the Latino Native American Cultural Center has been a staple on campus since it was first founded in 1971.
Students created the center in response to the growing need for spaces where Latino and Native American students could feel supported and celebrated, said Diego Rodriguez, director of the Multicultural and International Student Support and Engagement department.
Rodriguez also said the Latino Native American Cultural Center has served as a safe haven, cultural home, and resource for those around campus for the past five decades.
“[The Latino Native American Cultural Center] plays a crucial role in fostering community, promoting cultural heritage, and providing resources to empower students from Latino and Native American backgrounds,” Rodriguez said.
The Latino and Native American Alumni Alliance reunion is essential, as it highlights the resilience and contributions of the Latino Native American Cultural Center over 50 years, Rodriguez said.
“This event helps maintain ties between alumni, current students, and faculty — reinforcing the importance of community-building and heritage preservation,” Rodriguez said. “It also serves as an inspirational moment for current students, showing the potential impact of their involvement in cultural and academic life.”
Rodriguez said the Multicultural and International Student Support and Engagement department dedicates itself to creating a welcoming environment on campus by promoting diversity, equity, and cultural understanding. Creating spaces like the Latino Native American Cultural Center, where students can celebrate their heritage and build community, is another step to creating a more inclusive campus.
Adele Lozano, a committee member who assisted in planning the reunion and celebration, said honoring alumni and the history of the Latino Native American Cultural Center are the main reasons for hosting the event.
“It’s more important than ever to acknowledge the history of these centers, as well as their future and how they can continue promoting the success — not only of Latino and Native American students, but of all students,” Lozano said.
Lozano said the Latino Native American Cultural Center is a home away from home, as it allows individuals a place to feel welcomed and supported.
Lozano said this reunion has evolved from the past, as this year’s is larger with international writers and speakers attending. She also said this reunion allows current students to connect and network with alumni and hear about past challenges and experiences to help them stay motivated.
María Leonor Márquez Ponce, a graduate student at UI, participated in the event. She spoke about the importance of remembering history and alumni, as she works on the Latino Native American Cultural Center Oral History Project for the Library’s Special Collections and Archives.
“I’ve been trying to connect current students with the event because I want current Latino and Native American students to see the people who were here before us,” Márquez Ponce said. “They can learn about the rich history we have.”
Márquez Ponce also echoed the importance of students attending the events, forming connections, and being themselves. She encourages students and others to continue to support future events and remember those who have come before us.
In the future, the Latino Native American Cultural Center hopes to gather additional funding to showcase and preserve artifacts from the center and alumni while continuing to host more events and reunions.
“Our presence on campus has always been important. It will be important in the future,” Lozano said. “We hope this will bring it to light for the rest of the campus.”