Student Organizations on Campus

Claremont students are actively busy striving to make a difference on campus as well as in the community. Student organizations are entirely self-governed. Some are five-college organizations and some are restricted to their home campus but host five-college events.

Café con Leche - We seek to provide a forum for the discussion of social, political and economic issues that affect women, particularly those of Latina descent. We intend to raise awareness of diversity and its implications in our immediate community and surrounding areas. We dedicate ourselves to social justice by developing a critical lens through which we can analyze ourselves and the world. We welcome all members of the Scripps community regardless of racial and cultural heritage to join us in this pursuit. Our office is located inside the SCORE building which is across from the Routt/Frankel dormitories. It is office C. Contact info: cafeconleche@scrippscollege.edu, Ext. 77858.

The Chiapas Support Committee was founded in 1995 to educate the surrounding community about the situation of human rights violations in Chiapas, Mexico. Descendants of the Mayan Indians were asking for solutions to their living conditions, solidarity and support because of the racism and poverty that afflicted (and continues to afflict) their everyday lives. The indigenous populations addressed the need for self government, after the signing of NAFTA in January 1994 which historically highlights the beginning of their resistance movement that demands the respect and acknowledgment for human rights by the government and civil society.

Our Mission is to strive to support and educate even a decade after the initial movement. The organization annually sends delegations of students to Chiapas to participate as human rights observers. In conjunction with Fray Bartolome de las Casas Human Rights Center in San Cristobal de las Casas, students travel to indigenous communities in Chiapas, gaining hands-on experience in human rights work. These students will experience the effects of power relations, environmental degradation, race relations, and gender relations, and further understand the identity and culture of Chiapas.

This group is not alone in its efforts; it is part of a greater international effort to ensure that all are empowered with the ability to act out against human rights violations. It is the obligation of participants to bring back their experiences from their trips to educate and inform the greater college community of the Claremont Colleges, but not limited to the 5C’s. Contact person Cielo Flores at cflores@scrippscollege.edu.

Empowered Latin@s in Action (ELA) is an inclusive, student-driven, Pomona College organization, open to students from all the Claremont Colleges, which strives to maximize opportunities for Chican@s/Latin@s. We work to bring awareness of our culture to the campuses, and make our presence felt. The three primary vehicles to help us achieve these goals are: expanding and maintaining networks among the Chicano/Latino population of the Claremont Colleges; sponsoring social, cultural and community service activities; and, promoting progressive political activism. Through pursuance of these ends and acting in solidarity with other underrepresented groups, ELA will foster unity, awareness and mobilization in the Chican@/Latin@ community at the 5-C's. Contact person: Didi Rodriguez at 860-874-9681.

The Latina/o Student Union (LSU) is a Pitzer College student-run organization whose purpose is to provide a forum of current political and cultural awareness, as well as involvement and support in the Latino community. LSU was established to bridge communication between the Latino students in Pitzer, to the larger Pitzer community, as well as to the surrounding communities. The ways in which LSU reaches out to the larger Pitzer community and surrounding communities is through the promotion of cultural awareness, promotion of activism in benefit of the extensive Latino community, and through the creation of bridges of communication and cooperation between LSU and other clubs and organizations on campus.

We are the Latina/o Student Union (LSU) and we are writing to inform you about the events and group of people available to make your time in Claremont most rewarding. As LSU we plan a variety of events to fit the many different personalities of our community. We plan social, cultural, and political events that reflect our social responsibility as Pitzer College students. For example, in the past we have had Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) benefit dinners where we fundraise for the local centers, Ritmo en El Grove dance party at the Grove House where we played a diverse set of Latina/o music, and we have volunteered across Los Angeles County with various schools and organizations. We have also participated in building coalitions across race and cultural lines with previous events such as W.M.D. (Weapons of Musical Dissent), a concert representing the racial and ethnic variety of musicians brought to campus by different Pitzer clubs. Like music and cars? How about the Latina/o Rockabilly Festival? We enjoy planning events with any organization and welcome anyone that wants to make a difference on campus and in the surrounding community. Contact - Tim Campos at timothy_campos10@pitzer.edu, also at lsu.pitzer@gmail.com .

Mariachi Serrano de Claremont (5-College) - Contact at mariachiserrano@gmail.com. Mariachi Serrano de Claremont, formerly known as the Claremont Colleges Mariachi, began as an idea. A group of students were brought together by their passion for mariachi music. Mariachi Serrano de Claremont had its debut performance at Día de la Familia, 2006. Since then, the group has grown to be a 16-piece ensemble. Mariachi Serrano is both self-taught and receives instruction from a local mariachi instructor. You can see Mariachi Serrano perform at different on and off campus events. Most mariachi members don't have a mariachi music background. We're always looking for enthusiastic instrumentalists!

SHPE HMC - Harvey Mudd is now an official chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Although this organization promotes Latinos in the field of Engineering, the HMC Chapter aims to promote the participation of Latinos in all sciences and technical fields. Because SHPE is a national organization it offers the opportunity to network with companies and other chapters across the country. SHPE HMC meets every Thursday to discuss conferences and upcoming events. The 2008-2009 President is Dan Garcia (dan_garcia@hmc.edu).