Supporting the Latino Student Union in 2025
By Dr. Ernesto R. Villarreal
As a Chicano Studies teacher, I often find myself walking alongside student leaders as they navigate the delicate, beautiful work of representing their culture and community within our school. This year, during our Hispanic Heritage Month assembly, I had the honor of collaborating with the advisor of our school’s Latino Student Union — offering my support as she supported the students in bringing their vision to life.
And what a vision it was.
Early on, I offered myself as a resource — as someone who could help ensure that the history was accurate, that the representation was deep and respectful, and that the legacy of our people wasn’t reduced to stereotypes or surface-level celebration. The students, confident and poised, assured me: “We’ve got this.”
So I stepped back — not out of disinterest, but out of trust. I monitored their progress from a distance, checked in occasionally, and once again, they reassured me: “It’s under control.”
And at the last minute — it was. It really was.
What unfolded at that assembly was a student-led, student-produced celebration of culture, identity, and history that represented our community in the best of lights. The music, the dances, the narration — it was all theirs. And what’s more, it was right. Historically grounded, emotionally resonant, and culturally proud.
In a time like 2025, where the political direction of the United States is shifting in deeply troubling ways — toward repression, toward erasure, toward a creeping dictatorship — this kind of student work takes on a new meaning. It’s more than an assembly. It’s an act of resistance. A declaration of presence. A refusal to be silenced.
As a teacher of Chicano Studies, I carry a deep responsibility to speak the truth of our people. But moments like this remind me that I’m not the only one carrying that torch. These students — through art, through history, through community — are already doing the work. And sometimes, the best way I can support them is by stepping aside, offering scaffolding when needed, and letting their brilliance shine.
I’m grateful to the Latino Student Union advisor for creating the space, and I’m proud to be part of a community where students can lead with confidence and care. This year’s assembly was powerful. And in this moment, that matters more than ever.
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