Diverse cultures congregated in glitz and glamour at the Rensselaer Union for La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity’s Annual Cultural Pride Night on Friday. From the welcome reception all the way to the closing remarks and the open dance floor, Lambda Upsilon Lambda certainly put on quite a gala event to commemorate its 13th year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The number 13 is special to Lambda Upsilon Lambda due to the beginnings of the fraternity itself. In fact, 13 happens to be the number of men that began the Lambda Upsilon Lambda chapter at RPI, and currently the fraternity is the “only Latino group chartered at all the Ivies,” with its foundations at Cornell University in 1982. It was no surprise then that the members of Lambda Upsilon Lambda were proud to present the Pride Night event in honor of their RPI founding brothers.
The night began with an opening reception in the Union lobby, where snacks were provided as guests entered. Though definitely not akin to Hollywood glamour, the posing for pictures at the entrance and the clicks of the cameras gave a bit of red carpet feel to the event. Once the McNeil Room was finally prepped, guests entered to find that cafeteria tables were covered with fancy decorations and drinks and salad at the ready.
After opening remarks, the Sienna College Bhangra Team started the performance aspect of the event with upbeat cultural dances. The performance was a good way to start, as the members brought about admirable energy in their dance routines. Following closely after were students from the World of Dance School in Albany; the children performed tap and a contemporary dance routine that impressed many in the audience. I would have to add that the shiny pink costumes worn by the dancers elicited a few “awws” from the crowd, and the contemporary dance solo to “Wild Horses” produced a loud round of applause at its conclusion.
While dinner was being served, a few awards were presented to various members of the RPI community who influenced or shaped Lambda Upsilon Lambda into what it is today. Jazz music from the Campus Serenaders was also showcased while the guests ate from a menu of chicken, steak, or vegetarian dishes. Additionally, the Philippine American League performed tinikling—a dance involving fast rhythm and wooden bamboo poles—to the audience’s delight.
It was then time for keynote speaker Dean of Students Mark Smith to take to the podium. For Smith, Lambda Upsilon Lambda was a “group of men, connected at brotherhood, [and] committed to leadership.” Furthermore, they had “transformed [their] environment into something more than they found it.”
The RPI Ballroom and Swing teams rounded out the end of the evening by showing some of their moves on the dance floor. Routines went from a mix of rhumba and salsa to classic-style swing. While the evening was far from over, the performances had ended, and, for the rest of the night, the McNeil Room was host to an open dance floor, Latin music blaring for the audience to enjoy.
