Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at MSU Law
Sept. 15 – Oct. 15

By Jake Jenkins

Sept 1, 2022

[Editor’s Note: This is part of an ongoing series on MSU Law Student Organizations]

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

The celebration started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period.

According to Rosa Jarquin, Assistant Director for Student Affairs at Michigan State University College of Law, this academic year has the largest Latino population at the college she’s seen during her five-year tenure. The Latino Law Society, a student organization within the law college, support students of Latino descent and produces events to educate those who are unfamiliar with the rich cultures of Latino citizens.

“The Latino culture is so unique because we all came from different places,” said Alaina Benjamin, ’23, President of the Latino Law Society. “This organization brings an educational component to the college. When people celebrate Hispanic holidays like Cinco de Mayo, they don’t really know why they’re celebrating, so we invite them into our culture and celebrations and educate them on it.”

Joining a student organization can help alleviate some of the apprehension and isolation first-year law students often feel.

“It’s great being in law school with people from the same background as you,” said Ulysses Grajeda ’25, Vice President of the Latino Law Society. “It’s useful for networking as well as coming to together to point out what policies need to be changed for our community and how we can help.”

Andy Kenney, a member of the Latino Law Society as well as the Triangle Bar Association and identifies as a gay male, said that Latino culture is not a culture that completely revolves around a single concept.

“Being a Queer-Latino brings a perspective into the legal field,” said Kenney. “Not only are Latinos spread across the entire western hemisphere, but we also cross section each other in demographics rather it be sexuality or socio-economic classes. That is what we can bring into law.”

As Hispanic Heritage month is celebrated within the United States, MSU College of Law would like to shine a light on the students who identify as Hispanic/Latino, as they will proudly represent their culture as future attorneys.

Review a list of MSU Law Student Organizations and membership information.