This year’s Latinx Ball will conclude Latinx Heritage Month in Madison this Friday night at the Overture Center. A night of awards, speeches, delicious food, great music and long-lasting memories are to be expected for students and faculty in attendance.

Arturo Diaz, Organizational Development Specialist for the Multicultural Student Center, contributed much of his time and effort toward putting together this event. He explained the main purpose of this event is for students to get a sense of community and unity out of it, as well as enjoy a night celebrating their identity.

“Our community has a lot going on at the moment,” Diaz said.

He explained that Texas and Florida, areas with highly concentrated Latinx populations, have been greatly affected by the recent hurricanes.

He also has those impacted by the earthquakes in Mexico and natural disasters in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean in mind.

“There’s a couple of people who are hurting so…[we are] reminding them that we’re in it together, we’re unified and I hope to get a celebration out of [the event] as well,” Diaz said.

There will be awards given out to students during the dinner portion of the night that starts at 6:30 p.m. One noteworthy award is the Latinx Champion award, which will be granted to a student who “continuously volunteers without hesitation” and shows determination in improving and helping their community.

Students have applied for these awards and nominated peers as well. The Latinx Ball Committee has gone over the submissions they’ve received and deliberated on who they believe should be given such honors.

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This highly anticipated event will leave the Overture Center jam-packed, as an incredible amount of students are already enthusiastic to show their attendance.

“We did have a registration process to get a number of who we wanted, but that’s currently full so we’re currently not taking any other registrations,” Diaz said. 

These registrations are for spots at the dinner portion of the night. However, the second half of the night — undoubtedly the best part — is a dance open to any students willing to have fun and celebrate with their Latinx peers. There is expected to be a grand total of 200 to 250 people in attendance throughout the entire night. Students are encouraged to come in and out of the dance as they please.

Diaz mentioned he was most excited about seeing all of the different students that will show up to support their community and showcase their pride in themselves and their community.  

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“We’re doing it for a celebration of culture and students on campus. That’s really what I’m looking the most forward to,” Diaz said.

On behalf of himself and the Multicultural Student center, Diaz encourages Latinx students to “be actively involved and engaged in the community.”

“When it comes to our cultural background, we’re very involved people, hardworking people…so I think that one of the main things is just remembering where we come from. Young Latinx students know that in order for us to succeed, they would have to help the younger generation,” Diaz said.