The Hilltopper Organization of Latin American Students hosted a Thanksgiving celebration, uniting students for an evening filled with community spirit.
On Monday, 6 p.m., in the Downing Student Union, HOLAS held a Thanksgiving dinner open to the public. HOLAS has hosted Thanksgiving dinners and events since 2012 to celebrate the holiday, have fun, and uplift one another.
“It’s about contributing and enjoying food and feeling like you have friends and feeling that you can sit around a table and just talk about life, talk about school,” Fabian Alvarez, the faculty advisor, said.
Mealanie Gonzalez, a junior majoring in marketing with a social media concentration, said she likes how HOLAS makes everyone feel included.
“HOLAS, to me it’s just more like anybody coming in and wanting to have a good time. We accept everybody.” Gonzalez, “Any member that comes in, we automatically let them know that we are fun people.”
Gonzales also said that community means bringing a piece of home to campus.
“Back home, it’s such a big deal,” Gonzales said. “So, like we bring a little bit of home to WKU.”
During the Thanksgiving dinner, the members shared food that they had prepared with others, as well as cultural dishes like flautas and Spanish rice. They also recognized members who had put extra effort into HOLAS and their seniors.
“Not only do we want to celebrate our members, but also those who make everything happen,” Michelle Amos, president of HOLAS, and a senior majoring in public health, said.
HOLAS sees its organization as more than just a social group. Alvarez said they create “a space for students” to “celebrate one another and to be around each other,” making sure no student feels isolated, especially during holiday seasons.
Caless Carol, a senior majoring in political science and legal studies, felt isolated and scared when she first came to WKU, but found community and comfort in HOLAS. Now, she is on the HOLAS board and has had the opportunity to engage in numerous activities due to her leadership role.
“When I first came here as a freshman, I was one of the only Latino students in all of my classes,” Carol said, “But HOLAS was right there.”
