The Salute to Latinas: Fuerza de la Mujer Latina has been Delta Tau Lambda Sorority Incorporated’s signature event for twenty-four years and was created to honor the accomplishments and strengths of all Latina women and women of color. Each year we celebrate our history, cultures, and diversity with pride. We strive to find speakers that are well respected in the community. Additionally, we take this opportunity to announce and celebrate the winner of our Lydia Cruz & Sandra Maria Ramos Scholarship for young emerging Latina leaders. We also award the “Diamond Award” to a woman dedicated to performing above and beyond in community service and the improvement of the Latino community. The night is focused on celebrating our accomplishments and reflecting on how to collectively improve the conditions of the community. The event ends with a special tribute to Latinas and all women of color, which varies from spoken word to cultural performances.
Throughout history, many nations were colonized by European imperialists. During colonization, indigenous cultures and mannerisms were disrupted and subject to transformations that set up unrealistic standards without proper representation of women of color. We will educate the campus community about this misrepresentation and the significance of bringing awareness to the issue. This year’s theme, “Radiance in Color”, will be celebrated through poetry, amazing guest speakers, and a diverse array of cultural foods, awards. At the end of the night, we will host a gallery portraying women of color dismantling idealized white standards that govern women in different aspects of life. We will have a professional guest speaker discuss the importance of women of color and the negative effect of enforcing white standards. Most importantly, our goal is to recognize and celebrate the components of what makes a woman and what makes a Latina. By doing so, we will educate and empower Latinos and other campus communities to respect and honor women as well as be aware of and/or take action against the many oppressions held against women globally.