Students joined SALSA to celebrate the Latino culture Monday.

The Spanish and Latino Student Association held their annual Latino Festival in the Ballroom of the Student Center from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

During the event, students had the opportunity to get the sense of the culture with music, food and more information from the board members of the association.

The festival consisted of students hula hooping, dancing and eating jalapenos in a competition. There was also a DJ playing different genres of Latin music for students to dance and listen to.

The event also showcased another organization, Threads, an LGBTQ organization for people of color.

“Threads is an organization that centers itself around queer and trans students of color, but not exclusively,” said Nico Rushh, a junior psychology and sociology major.

This promoted their purpose — that the organization is for all students with different cultural backgrounds.

“We just focus on the intersection of what it means to be a queer person of color and how it affects us,” Rushh said.

SALSA  shared information with students at the event about the next event with Threads on Monday, April 30 that focuses on identity, social change and celebrating intersectionality with Denice Frohman, an award-winning poet, writer, performer and educator, as a guest speaker.

SALSA has meetings on the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Student Multicultural Center in the Student Center.

The association’s weekly Spanish practice sessions are every Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Lost Leader’s Lounge of the Student Center.

Threads has their meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Student Multicultural Center.

Alissa Reyes is the international students reporter. Contact her at [email protected].