LUCAS VASQUEZ: Buenos días, everybody, and welcome to In The Know, the Minnesota Daily podcast dedicated to the University of Minnesota. I’m your host, Lucas Vasquez, and today we are diving into the question of what it means to be a Latino at the U. Is it about the food you eat, the music you listen to, the language you speak or is it about something deeper?

This is the first episode in a mini-series in which we explore what it means to not be white in a predominantly white institution. We’re going to hear from a few students who are navigating these very questions. We’ll hear about their journeys, their challenges and the powerful community they’ve built in a group called Mi Gente.

My first question for these students was why did they choose the U in the first place? I can say for myself that cost was the principal factor in my decision to attend the U, and Minnesotan programs such as the North Star Promise, along with federal aid, were definitely pull factors for many members of Mi Gente.

SABRINA CORRA: I would say, OK, I gotta be so real. It was the free tuition.

VASQUEZ: Sabrina Corra, a third-year student majoring in food science and nutrition, told me that for her, cost outweighed academics when making her college decision. Rosita Ortiz, a second-year majoring in developmental psychology, also pointed to cost being important as well as family proximity.

ROSITA ORTIZ: It was mainly, I guess cost. Because I thankfully got my tuition paid for my first two years and proximity is very close to my family. So it kind of worked out both ways.

VASQUEZ: Cost, however, may change in the future, as the University of Minnesota approved the biggest tuition increase in the past decade in June. According to the Star Tribune, the $5.1 billion budget included a 7% cut to academic programs while also raising tuition by 6.5% for in-state students and 7.5% for out-of-state students.

In a school where 75% of the student population receives financial aid, this cost increase may deter many minority students in general from attending the U. According to the University of Minnesota’s student data, Hispanic students make up only 5.4% of the total 31,855 undergraduate students on campus. This is less than the 9.1% of Black students, 15.2% of Asian/Pacific Islander students and 61.1% of white students. 

When I first arrived at the U my freshman year, the lack of a Hispanic student population was something I quickly noticed. Being a Hispanic myself, it was important to me to find a group of people to connect with culturally. I asked Christian Barrera, a second-year majoring in business and management education, if he had a similar experience.

CHRISTIAN BARRERA: During my middle school and high school years, I was very in culturally diverse schools. So it was a bit of a culture shock to see, like the lack of Latinos just walking around campus. Seeing, this, this many white people was a little surprising and, and kind of having to look a little, little deeper for a Latino community.

VASQUEZ: Ortiz mentioned feeling the same way.

ORTIZ: It was very like, I guess, lonely at the beginning, because I didn’t know groups like this existed, or groups like Mi Gente existed. So I was very separated from everybody. It was very hard to like focus or find a place where I felt like a community was with me until I found Mi Gente.

VASQUEZ: Mi Gente is a student organisation located on the second floor of Coffman Memorial Union, its aim is to create a shared space for students of all backgrounds, but mainly Hispanic ones, to come together and socialise with one another. 

But for these students, it is a lot more than just that. They shared how Mi Gente feels like a second family of like-minded people who share their culture, a place where they feel safe to express a side of themselves that is deeply personal to their identity. 

Corra also commented about how spending time at Mi Gente events opened her eyes to wanting to connect with people who share her culture.

CORRA: I remember my first year, not to give TMI, but like I think it’s pretty important. I was in a relationship with a white person and at the time I had found out about the Orgullo event and I had invited them and I went with them. 

When I had asked them to dance with me, they were like, “No, that’s weird. Why would I wanna do that? I don’t even know.” Like, so for me it was like, it’s kind of big to have someone who would be OK with like accepting and whatnot.

VASQUEZ: But how did these students find each other? I asked Diego Luis, a fourth-year studying sociology of law, criminology and justice, about his experience. 

DIEGO LUIS: Man, love Mi Gente. I discovered Mi Gente before coming to university. I was a participant in Mi Gente’s high school weekend event that they had. And basically we had breakout sessions and I just, the board members had different workshops. We talked about things about the university and learning more about the university. 

We had lunch, but they specifically wanted it to be in the Mi Gente room. So, the first time I ever visited this room was in 2019. And, uh, I knew that if I were to come here I’d be a part of this family that I’ve seen that they’ve created in this community.

And I think for me being here for a while I think I fostered a stronger relationship with Mi Gente than I ever did in the years prior. And I think it’s because a lot of the people have been so genuine, but also like, you know, there’s just been a lot of transition that’s been very well with this organisation that I think has. It’s been something that I have been looking for that I have finally gotten.

VASQUEZ: For Corra, her journey to the Mi Gente room was a bit different than Luis’.

CORRA: In all, I’d say a big thing was their events, their events are super awesome. Like that’s how I discovered them was through, it was honestly the food. So going into food science, you probably already know this, but I’m a huge foodie. Their event had some amazing food and I remember the first event they just had a really good combination of just a lot of Mexican cuisine. 

And don’t get me wrong, I really loved it, but as someone who is Peruvian, I was really sad that they didn’t have a lot of Peruvian foods. So, or maybe even just a lot of South American foods. So hopping onto that, that was something that I really wanted to prioritize. 

And so moving forward from that to the, to this year, from 2023 until 2025 now, We’ve made it a priority to also make sure that a lot of the people on board are of different nationalities, so that the people here in the room feel more welcomed and relatable and accepted in some ways.

VASQUEZ: For Nayelli Loha, a second-year student majoring in architecture, it was friend connections that brought her to the room. 

NAYELLI LOHA: I found out about Mi Gente through a friend of mine. We just like saw each other walking the same direction and he was like, “Oh, you should go to Mi Gente. The people there are really chill, really nice, they’re welcoming.” And I was really hesitant about going just because like, I didn’t know anyone in the room, you know?

But I decided to just give it a shot, you know? And I really, I really enjoyed it. I mean, the first day I was there like, I didn’t know who anyone was. It was very scary to talk to anyone. But, I started coming to Mi Gente more often and all that, and then eventually made a lot more friends here. 

Eventually got to meet everyone. I think Mi Gente to me, I don’t know, it’s kinda just like a community, you know, a community where you are able to be yourself, feel safe no matter what.

VASQUEZ: Word-of-mouth was also how Barrera got involved.

BARRERA: It was during the first week where one of my friends ended up being told by their friend about Mi Gente and how there was a whole bunch of student multicultural student groups here at the second floor at Coffman. And so when me and him checked it out, I started getting more involved with, with not just like being around in the room, but also going to their events and participating in what they had to offer for my first year.

It really made me want to join and help. So I applied to be financial director for my second year, which is how, you know, I’m kind of here now. I really enjoy the atmosphere that it brings. Mi Gente is the main Latinx student organization here at the U. 

So having that, I guess like that standard to uphold, we do it very well. And, and giving a voice to the Latino community despite being on the smaller side of minorities here at the university. 

VASQUEZ: Existing as a Latino student on a large campus often means navigating two different worlds. I asked Corra if she felt a difference between the mainstream activities and events the university offers versus the events that are hosted by Mi Gente.

CORRA: That’s a really good thing to bring up first of all. It’s really funny, my best friend, she was voted like the most, the most prideful in our year for high school because she loved football games. So I think I’m an odd one out where I really don’t, I’m not a big fan of like football games, but a huge thing I will say is being a part of Mi Gente has made me kind of more immersed in my culture of being more into something like soccer. 

Where it’s kind of, it’s silly, but I’m kind of feeling that same amount of like pride I think she felt towards football towards soccer. Another thing I would say is something that we participated in this year was the parade. And I signed us up for it because I was like, you know what, if we’re walking through, we’re gonna be holding up all of our flags and said and done, yes, we did. 

And it was super awesome because, we kind of started making up a chant, and just as being in like a group setting, it just makes you feel so much more, first included, but also just recognised and not afraid, not as afraid to be like a part of these things.

VASQUEZ: Loha also talked about the difficulties of navigating the dynamics of multiculturalism.

LOHA: I like had a friend group and a lot of them are just like white people. So I feel like when I came here, it was just kind of like, I didn’t feel I could be myself, kind of, you know? I had to, especially with like white people, I had to like, “Oh, maybe I should skip this song because they won’t know what this song says.” 

You know, when, where we’re driving somewhere I can’t play a song that I would like, or I, or I can’t say a joke that only a certain people would understand, you know? So I think that’s the biggest thing. 

And then if I were to compare events from like more American culture and then Mi Gente, I feel like Mi Gente’s a lot more joyful. I’m able to express myself a lot more in a way, and then when I feel like when I’m at an American event or just like an event from the U, it’s more, I just, I don’t feel left out. I just feel like. 

VASQUEZ: A little out of place? 

LOHA: Yeah I feel out of place.

VASQUEZ: Now more than ever, the importance of spaces and events that promote the expression of one’s cultural background is needed. This comes especially during a time when Latin communities across the U.S. are facing increasing pressure from the current administration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, especially, are fueling the fear facing these groups. 

Just this past Tuesday, November 18, ICE activity in St. Paul swept fear throughout the cities and drew many protestors out to the streets. Armed agents wearing ICE uniforms were sighted conducting a raid on a St. Paul business, and witnesses reported people being detained and dragged off to vans and trucks. Some activists tried to contest a line set up by agents, leading to physical altercations and eventually pepper spray being doused on the protestors’ faces.  

In a post shared on their social media platforms this summer, Mi Gente took a stance after ICE activity in Minneapolis, stating, “We are saddened and angered by the systems that continue to dehumanise immigrants and silence protest…Mi Gente stands firmly in support of immigrant and undocumented communities.” 

Additionally, more than 225 people have watched their immigration case be dismissed at the government’s request. According to the Star Tribune, they have then been arrested by ICE agents after leaving the Fort Snelling courtroom. This detainment is justified through a process known as expedited removal. 

Expedited removal is the process by which a noncitizen is detained and deported within days, without a hearing before a judge. This process was previously reserved for migrants caught within 100 miles of the border and within two weeks after entering illegally. Under President Trump, however, the administration is applying it to noncitizens living anywhere who can’t show they have been in the U.S. for at least two years. 

These tactics raise heavy concern among immigrant rights activists and attorneys, who argue that it undermines due process rights and coerces innocent people into detention. In turn, it separates parents from their children and tears both families and communities apart. 

For anyone the threat of being torn apart from your loved ones by policies like these can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety. And in that context, the idea of the family that students have found in a group like Mi Gente is priceless. It’s groups like these built here on campus that provide a buffer against the fear and instability happening just beyond the university’s borders. 

According to its members, this family isn’t just about shared joy; it’s also about shared concerns. It’s about having a place to turn to when you are away from your home and your loved ones. A place where you can feel safe and accepted by people with shared experiences. A place where you don’t have to feel like you are alone. 

LUIS: Honestly, the most important thing I can say is, you know, immerse yourself in your culture. That’s why I take the Spanish class. I’m always in the Mi Gente room. I’m always trying to, you know, mostly just listen to Spanish music because I want to expand upon it more than just like something that’s like baseline. You know? 

I think it’s really important to really take the time and, and the effort to really expand more than just the language, but also like the culture. You know, the way we write, the way we interact, the way we really speak properly with one another is really important, you know? So that’s one of the things that I’ve been taking seriously for myself. Especially being here at this university where I’m mostly speaking English.

VASQUEZ: Many people may think that being a Latino is just about speaking Spanish, but it’s truly so much more than just that. According to the United Nations, there are over 30 Latin countries, each with its own distinct culture. Luis talks about what growing up with this multicultural experience was like.

LUIS: My mother is from the Dominican Republic, and my dad is from Argentina. So for me, growing up in the United States has been a lot of trying to kind of understand both of the countries where my parents are from, both of my heritages. And just really kind of immersing myself in the culture, whereas I live with my mother but I don’t live with my father. 

So a lot of me and how I grew up was a lot of Dominican culture traditions and stuff like that. But also my mom did a really good job in maintaining my Argentinian side and teaching me about those values, but also the culture that came with that. Like we’d always watch national soccer team games together. 

You know she’d introduce me to the different drinks and food of Argentina. As well as, you know, living with her we’d obviously listen to music from the Dominican Republic. A lot of it was very much a flow. But my mom did try her hardest too, to make sure that I got the Argentinian side. 

VASQUEZ: Being a Latino student at the University of Minnesota is not only a journey of finding your people, but a journey about finding yourself. It’s about taking the time to look within yourself to answer the questions of identity and who you are. And although everyone’s answers to those questions will be different, communities like Mi Gente are vitally important. 

In an age where human connection is done mostly through screens, having a place where people can relate to you face-to-face, through shared language, music, food and culture, isn’t just a nice perk. It’s how you build a home away from home. It’s how you find your familia.

That is all I have for you today folks. Thank you for listening. This episode was written by Lucas Vasquez and produced by Ceci Heinen. If you have any questions, comments or concerns don’t hesitate to reach out at [email protected].

My name is Lucas Vasquez and this has been In The Know. And as always, que tengan un buen día.