Washington State University’s Chicana/o Latina/o Student Alliance (ChiLaStAl) is hosting a week of events entitled “Semana de la Raza” in order to celebrate Latin American culture, art, history and scholarship.

Co-chairs of the ChiLaStAl, Jesus Barragan-Chacon and Annaliza Mariscal worked with other student organizations on campus in order to coordinate this week’s celebrations.

“The events represent our culture through performances, poetry, potlucks and discussions of what it means to be Chicana/o Latina/o,” Barragan-Chacon wrote in an email.

There will be a potluck to kick off this week’s events in CUE 518 from noon to 3 p.m. today. This event is hosted by Alpha Nu Multicultural Sorority and the WSU chapter of Movimeinto Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA).

On Tuesday there will be an open mic and poetry night in the CUB Auditorium at 7 p.m. hosted by Destino, a non-denominational student ministry, and La Hermandad de OeMeTe, a brotherhood organization.

At noon on Wednesday students are invited to enjoy tamales and speak with professors in CUB 410. This event is sponsored by the Chicana/o Latina/o Faculty Staff Association (CLFSA).

Also on Wednesday, the “Empowering Women” event will be held in CUE 202 from 5 – 7 p.m. There will be guest speakers and a craft session, where attendees have the opportunity to honor the women in their lives. This event is sponsored by Kappa Delta Chi and Mujeres Unidas, a member organization of the Coalition for Women Students.

On Thursday, Gamma Alpha Omega and Gamma Iota Omicron are hosting the Thanks-A-Latte event in the Todd Auditorium from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. There will be a showing of “Mi Familia” and then a conversation about the film over coffee.

A talent show called “Noche Cultural” will be held in the Todd Auditorium Friday from 6 – 8 p.m. There will be multiple performances and acts, with the top ones receiving awards.

The 36th Annual Gabriel Cardenas Banquet will be held in the CUB Jr. Ballroom Saturday from 6:30 – 9 p.m. There will be dinner, a performance and a keynote speaker.

This year’s speaker is Alejandra Rincon, an advocate for immigration rights in education. After her speech, students will be awarded scholarships from various organizations.

The last event will be a brunch held Sunday at the Lewis Alumni Center at 11 a.m. This is hosted by La Alianza, a multicultural chapter of WSU’s Alumni Association.

All of this week’s events are free.

Reporting by Alysen Boston