At the start of my freshman year at Rice, I had an extremely difficult time adjusting to my new lifestyle. Moving hundreds of miles away from home to study at a prestigious university with high expectations made me feel lost. I also felt lonely knowing that as a Latine, I was part of a smaller percentage of students at Rice. It wasn’t until I joined HACER that I started to feel at home.

The Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice (HACER) is a leading organization for Latines on campus. HACER means “to do” in Spanish, which reflects our commitment to action. We strive to create inclusive spaces for Latine students and welcome anyone who wants to learn more about Latin American culture through cultural, educational, outreach and social events.

I began my HACER journey as a Social Coordinator Co-Chair. Co-Chairs plan HACER social events that are inclusive, interactive and deeply meaningful — a celebration of culture and support for Latine community, AND a chance to take a study break. One of my proudest accomplishments as Co-Chair was hosting the HACER Quince. This event gave the Rice community a chance to experience a Quinceañera celebration and was especially meaningful to those who didn't have one.

The Quince helped foster community engagement through music, dance and cultural traditions, creating an inclusive experience for all through mariachi, a Mexican-American norteño band performance, cake cutting, and the symbolic changing of the shoe to represent coming of age. This event, which was last held in 2019, was even featured on ABC News for Hispanic Heritage Month! Another event that I helped to plan was RITMO, a cultural showcase that featured music and dance from various cultures. RITMO was a celebration of music, food, salsa, merengue, bachata and Brazilian dance.

As the current Vice President of HACER, I’ve also hosted several General Body Meetings (GBMs). For my first GBM, we hosted a Mangonada Night and made traditional mangonadas with mango sherbet ice cream, chamoy, gummy bears and Tajín. We also painted Latine flags on mini canvases. Another event that I was proud to be a part of was the annual Pangea Potluck, where we invited the entire Rice community to celebrate diversity through an array of cultural foods, music and dance. Co-hosted by various student organizations — including Rice MENA (Middle Eastern and North African Student Association), VSA (Vietnamese Student Association), CSA (Chinese Student Association), NASA (Native American Student Association), BSA (Black Student Association), MSA (Muslim Student Association), TA (Taiwanese Association) and HKSA (Hong Kong Student Association) — this event created a vibrant space for everyone to experience and appreciate the rich tapestry of cultures represented on campus.

HACER is all about community and coming together, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to meet so many people from different cultural backgrounds through this organization!

-Valeria, Duncan ‘26  (Published on 4/15/2025)