The Catholic Newman club, Latinos Unidos and the Interfaith Student Association came together on Dec. 10 to celebrate Posada Navideña, a Christmas tradition mixing both Catholic and Latino culture.
The club members also celebrated Las Posadas, a tradition commemorating Mary and Joseph finding a place to stay during the Christmas season through song. The event welcomed every student to come, learn and connect.
“The biggest thing we want to do with our club is we want to create a community — a community where anyone can come, because the greatest thing about Latino culture is that it can be shared, not that it’s ours,” Ivan Galindo, the president of Latinos Unidos said.
Latinos Unidos works to provide a place for Latinos to feel at home and create spaces where students can connect.
“Whatever we do, it’s to create this connection,” Galindo said. “If we can create a space where those who are different can come together, I think that’s what diversity is.”
The event welcomed students of any religion and focused on what was shared by all: an appreciation for Jesus Christ and His birth.
Although a Las Posadas event is becoming a yearly tradition for the Catholic Newman club, their 2024 event was the first time they collaborated with Latinos Unidos to host. They hope to continue to work together in the future.
“(I'm) really happy that we were able to make this collaboration,” Javier De Los Reyes, the president of the Catholic club said. “We want to make it a regular thing.”
Aside from the Las Posadas tradition, there was also a piñata, Latino food and classic Latino party music.
“If (people are) missing the culture from their home … or they just want to learn more about the culture, we want to be that space where they can come and experience it,” Galindo said.
The Interfaith Student Association supported the event with funds, volunteers and organization.
“The IFSA is interested in collaborating with faith groups on campus to help and assist them in carrying out their own objectives,” Janai Wright, a member of the Interfaith Student Association presidency said.
According to Wright, the Interfaith Student Association and the Catholic Newman club “mutually support” each other, helping the BYU community to engage with diversity.
“We can help students learn how to interact with people who think differently or believe differently than them,” Wright said.
Galindo is a strong proponent of bringing people who are different together, believing that true diversity has little to do with skin color.
“We have a misconception of what diversity is,” Galindo said. “It’s not just the color of your skin, but diversity is what you believe, what you care about.”
Hosting events like Las Posadas to campus helps bring diversity of thought, experiences and beliefs to the wider BYU community.
There are many students that “really love BYU, and they love Utah and they love what they do, but they just sometimes don’t like how they’re very much closed in a bubble,” De Los Reyes said. “I think a lot of people really appreciate whenever you bring a different culture, a different perspective onto the table.”