Letter From The Presidents

¡Bienvenidos a nuestra familia! Welcome to our family! The Organization of Latin American Affairs (OLAA) is one of the largest and oldest cultural organizations on campus, this year being its 31st. Our purpose is to keep the Latino agenda alive by promoting the needs and goals of Latinos at Boston College and to foster a learning environment that meets all the needs of our students: cultural, social, academic, political, spiritual and personal. OLAA exists to cultivate the whole person!

For the year 2008-2009, OLAA plans to first and foremost build solidarity within the Latino Community at BC through events that foster hermandad (brotherhood) and the sense of familia that is embedded in the very roots of our culture; which our students often find missing when they enter the BC campus. This year OLAA wants to recognize National Hispanic Heritage Month and make it visibly appreciated on campus; we plan on having an explosive beginning by hosting numerous events, some of which include a retreat, a movie series, dance and spoken word performances, and panels that highlight the accomplishments and contributions of Latinos and the richness and beauty that lies within our individual cultures and histories.

This year, OLAA will educate its members about their responsibility to become proactive and help improve the state of Latinos in the U.S and the world. It plans to help increase voter registration in the Hispanic community and provide help through community outreach and volunteer opportunities, such as ESL tutoring and inner-city youth mentoring. In addition, OLAA will strengthen its efforts to aid, support and assist in the recruitment of prospective Latinos and their admission to BC by hosting more students for Conexiones workshops. These workshops will provide exposure to youth of the college experience, in an effort to uplift, inspire, and empower youth to attend college and see the unlimited possibilities available in higher education.

Furthermore, OLAA plans to strengthen its relations with BC faculty and other collegiate Latino organizations. Through our partnership with Latinos at Boston College (L@BC), our students will make personal relationships with Latino faculty, administrators, and staff that can serve as role models and act as advocates for OLAA’s initiatives and goals. Furthermore, through the Boston Intercollegiate Latino Association Network (BILAN), OLAA will strive to re-establish the connection we have had in the past with these organizations so that our events are better publicized off campus and better attended.

We know this organization can become a stronger educational and political force on and off campus. We are eager to make this happen and make this year the best one so far. We look forward to building on the success of our Annual Latino Family Weekend, dedicated to families and alumni whom have helped our members and this organization grow, to enhancing programs such as the El Principio Freshmen Mentoring Program and to changing and expanding Sabor Art and Literary Magazine to become an online monthly publication opened not only to college students, butto high school students and alumni as well. We are thrilled for this new academic year and hope to see you at all of our events.

Con amor y carino,

Bryan Leyva & Chloe Vargas

President and Vice President of OLAA

OLAA Presidents 2008-2009