As the autumn chill settled over the city, the Dominican Students Association (DSA) brought the warmth of the Dominican Republic to campus with their event, Pa’ la Cultura, held on October 27th from 1:40 to 2:55 p.m. in the New Building. The event celebrated Dominican heritage through food, music, games, and community to bring a piece of home to campus.
Domino pieces slammed onto the tables as bachata played loudly from the speakers. Some students rushed to the center of the room to dance dembow, while others sat down and prepared for the event to begin with a mix of a deck of cards, Uno, and dominoes waiting for them at each table.
A member of the DSA went by every table and explained the rules of the card game “Tres y Dos,” commonly played across the Dominican Republic. One student, Arianna Jimenez, reminisced about the memories of the game when she was younger. She said, “I grew up watching my family play it, and I haven’t played in years.” The game resonated with many students. The cards were shuffled, the game started, and the DSA member moved onto the next table.
For many attendees, Pa’ la Cultura was more than just a campus event. It was a moment of connection and nostalgia. Ailys Sarmiento, a member of the Latin dance club at John Jay, Sin Vergüenza, said that the event resonated deeply with her. “I am Dominican-born and raised; it means everything to me.”
The president of the DSA, Anthony Gomez, said that what inspired the event was what he saw missing on campus. “What inspired me to organize this event was really the absence of a place for Dominican students and other Latinos to have a place where they can feel like they’re home”, said Anthony Gomez, president of the DSA.
The DSA’s goal wasn’t just to celebrate Dominican culture. It was also to rebuild a sense of community on campus. The organization had been working to buildits presence after being somewhat inactive since 2019. “We hope attendees continue to build community,” said Gomez. “Inclusivity and community are what we’ve been missing.”
Even students who weren’t Dominican felt welcomed in the event. Sarmiento and Jimenez agreed that events like these bring people from other cultures together. “People are often curious about other cultures,” said Jimenez. Sarmiento added that the event helps Dominicans connect with each other while also giving other Hispanics the opportunity to connect with a new culture. This was also a point of reference for the DSA, making the event stick out to other Caribbean and Hispanic cultures.
Alaín Poma was one of the attendees and also an executive member of the Sin Vergüenza. Poma shared that the event was a great example of keeping Latin and Caribbean culture alive. He added, “That’s what we as executive members of these cultural clubs should be doing when it comes to the events and they nailed it perfectly.”
Planning for the event began in the summer, with one of the challenges involved trying to make every detail feel authentic. Gomez shared, “For example, we have a bunch of domino tables. I think dominoes, especially across the whole Caribbean, is something that connects everybody.”
As the event simmered down and students left the event, DSA passed out cups of Country Club raspberry soda, an authentic sweet drink reminiscent of the attendees’ childhoods. “That’s why we decided to call it “Pa’ la Cultura,” because we do it for the culture,” said Gomez.
The event might become an annual event, but for now, DSA is laying the foundation for their community.
