On April 21, the Latinos United for Advancement hosted the first-ever Latin Grad event in the Grand Ballroom of the Northbank Center — owned by the University of Michigan-Flint — to celebrate members of the Latin American community in Flint for their academic accomplishments.
The night started off with Stephanie Vidaillet Gelderloos, faculty advisor for LUNA, speaking and introducing the president, Paulina Rivera, and co-vice president, Jessenia Olascuaga.
Rivera and Olascuaga gave a joint speech in which they emphasized how the celebration was not only for students but for families as well.“To the families in this room, this moment belongs to you, too,” Olascuaga said.
The event featured Flint DJ MixMastaMás, Tomás Esteban, who played a variety of Latin American music from artists such as Celia Cruz to Bad Bunny. Detroit-based visual artist and mural painter Elton Monroy Duran had images of his sculptures and paintings.
Family members and friends of the graduates filled the room with laughter and conversation. The event served dinner, which featured Latin American cuisine and a performance from a local mariachi band, El Ballet Folklórico Estudiantil.
The event had 13 graduates, 11 from UM-Flint, one local high-school graduate and one graduate from Mott Community College.
Local mariachi band, El Ballet Folklórico Estudiantil, performing at Latin Grad in the Grand Ballroom of the Northbank Center in downtown Flint. Photo taken on April 21 by Andres Ochoa. 
Faculty advisor for LUNA, Stephanie Vidaillet Gelderloos, speaking at Latin Grad held in the Grand Ballroom in the Northbank Center in downtown Flint. Photo taken on April 21 by Andres Ochoa. 
Elton Monroy Duran hold his painting. Photo taken on April 21 by Andres Ochoa. 
LUNA president, Paulina Rivera, and co-vice president, Jessenia Olascuaga speaking at Latin Grad held in the Grand Ballroom of the Northbank Center in downtown Flint. Photo taken on April 21 by Andres Ochoa. 
Elton Monroy Duran speaking at Latin Grad held in the Grand Ballroom of the Northbank Center in downtown Flint. Photo taken on April 21 by Andres Ochoa. 
Keynote speaker, Ashley Treviño, at Latin Grad in the Grand Ballroom in the Northbank Center in downtown Flint. Photo taken on April 21 by Andres Ochoa. 
Hand-drawn painting kit from Corpus Art. Photo taken on April 21 by Andres Ochoa.
Rivera said that the focus of the event was high schools and other universities, and hopes to continue branching out and having more Latin Grad events in the future.
“By inviting high-schoolers, community colleges (students) and people around the community, they can see that UM-Flint is trying to create a more inclusive and diverse campus that celebrates all backgrounds,” Rivera said. “My hope is that, through this tradition, we see the percentage of Latino students climb.”
The graduates received a congratulatory certificate from LUNA as well as a hand-drawn painting kit from Corpus Art, owned by Duran.
The event also featured keynote speaker Alysia Treviño, immigration director with the Arab American Heritage Council and coalition member of the Flint Alliance for Immigrant Rights.
Rivera said the current political climate likely had an impact on attendance. “So many parents and siblings are very scared to be outside of their homes. To go to grocery stores, to go to celebration events like this as well.” Earlier that day, FAIR reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity was seen at a local restaurant in Grand Blanc.
Duran said the event was a show of a relationship between vulnerability and power, “Vulnerability is powerful. Today is a very powerful day, a very powerful occasion.”
