Bates College students marked the celebration of Caribbean and Latin American cultures with a joint cultural showcase hosted by the Caribbean Student Association and Raíces Unidas on April 17. The event, titled “Here to Stay: Rhythms that Raised Us,” featured more than 60 performers, including traditional and contemporary dances, singing, and guest performances from groups such as Samba Viva, a Brazilian samba ensemble based in Boston.
The showcase aimed to highlight the diverse backgrounds of Bates students while creating a sense of belonging on campus. Josiah Johnson ’29 said his first experience attending the event as a prospective student was transformative. “When the host pulled me onto the stage, the sudden shift from spectator to participant transformed my experience,” Johnson said. “Hearing that roar of the crowd wasn’t just a warm welcome, it was an instinctive confirmation that I wouldn’t have to marginalize my own identity to fit in. In that moment of collective energy, the abstract idea of ‘community’ became a tangible reality, and I knew I had found my place.”
This year’s program included collaborations with other campus groups such as 2Beats, Bollywood Dance Team, and Deansmen. Andrea Alfonzo ’27 played an active role both backstage and onstage in organizing performances for this year’s show. Alfonzo said: “This showcase has always been incredibly impactful for our community because it gives us the opportunity to express a part of ourselves that we often don’t get to share in other spaces.”
Aaron Martinez ’26 recalled being invited into the group during his first year at Bates when he modeled Carnival costumes before becoming more involved as a dancer and organizer. He described how his involvement grew over time: “That year somebody was organizing a dance and they didn’t really have that many people. I was like, ‘Okay, I can do it. I know how to move a little bit. Why not?’” Martinez added about this year’s event: “It felt amazing to be able to share and spread the message in a way that didn’t feel super political… It felt like more of a celebration of our culture than a fight or struggle… Joy is resistance.”
Johnson also addressed broader issues faced by immigrant communities today through his performance: “We currently live in a political climate where the rights of immigrants and people of color are under constant scrutiny… That being said, I wanted my performance to be a deliberate act of reclamation.”
Reflecting on her experience helping coordinate this year’s event Alfonzo concluded: “‘Here to stay’ is a way of saying that we belong, that we matter…and to keep showing our cultures and be proud of them.”
