Latinos Unidos is one of many culture-centered clubs at Princeton-High-School. On June 3rd, the club hosted their annual festival to celebrate Latin American culture. The event, which took place on the PHS front lawn, offered traditional food, music, and activities from different parts of Latin America, for PHS students as well as parents. The festival, along with the club in general, is a way for members of the PHS community to connect on a cultural level while learning more about Latin American cultures.

“We hold events such as these to bring the community together and encourage others to get insight on what our club does and what it is about,” said Valeria Trullijo, a member of the club.

Leaders and members of the club must be able to overcome the obstacles that come with the process of the event’s organization, one of these being complications regarding the matter of funding.

“Everything costs money. And we were trying to fundraise. Luckily, the PREA, which is the teacher union, really sponsors us. And we're grateful for that. But finding that support is always a challenge,” said Spanish teacher Idania Rodriguez-Mejia, a leader of Latinos Unidos.

Latinos Unidos tries to organize at least one big annual event, typically at the end of the school year, in order to draw attention to the club for the coming year. The event also aims to make members of PHS’s Latin American community feel more welcomed within Princeton.

“[Princeton is] a white dominated [town]. So as a Latino, I'm super grateful to be able to speak both languages, Spanish and English,” says Osbaldo Moralez, the club president. “But [for a] Latino who only knows Spanish, it's really hard to get access to things. [Latinos Unidos] is able to show them that they have support. I hope they can see that there are people that are behind them that are able to support them to make sure that they're not alone. And that for me is the goal [of the event].”