On Oct. 5, Cardinal Gibbons’ Hispanic or Latin affiliation group, HOLA, hosted its first-ever community-building picnic.

From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., friends and family gathered to eat, play, and pray as a community. Two well-known Mexican food trucks, El Jefecito and La Republica, were present at the event to feed the crowd. While eating, all attendees were invited to participate in Loteria, a traditional Mexican game of chance similar to the infamous bingo game. Over the course of several rounds, players were able to win various gift cards as prizes while bonding with those around them.

Halfway through the night, Chaplin Father Luke, a beloved member of the Gibbons community, prayed in Spanish with the attending families. With more than 70 total attendees, the picnic enabled families of Hispanic or Latin backgrounds to come together and celebrate as a community within the Cardinal Gibbons community.

An event of this magnitude wouldn’t have been possible without a great deal of preparation and planning behind the scenes. This event was possible through the leadership of HOLA moderators, Mark DeLaRosa and Carlina Domingos, and Gibbons student leader, Sofia Calle.

When the group first began in 2022, students of Hispanic or Latin backgrounds came together in search of a space to celebrate their unique and diverse cultures. Sofia Calle was invited to participate in HOLA during the spring of her sophomore year. Entering her senior year, Sofia hoped to expand the HOLA community to the families of the Gibbons community by launching the organization’s first-ever picnic for friends and family. 

“My parents have always talked about how they didn’t know other parents at Gibbons,” Calle says. “I wanted them to meet other people and feel like they had a community.” 

With the help of DeLaRosa, Domingos, and Equity and Justice Director Debbie Taylor, Sofia’s initial idea for the picnic was pursued almost immediately. Within a month, plans for the event were in place. 

“I felt so supported through the entire process,” Calle says. “Gibbons feels so big. It’s nice to have a smaller community to feel supported in.”

Going forward, Domingos hopes to see Calle’s enthusiasm carry on through the leadership of HOLA’s underclassmen. 

“Based on the leaders who have stepped up this year, the younger students now have a good model for what leadership looks like in the club….it goes to show the younger members…if there’s something they want to invest in…they have the support from Justice and Equity with Mrs. Taylor and from Mr. DeLaRosa and myself.” 

As HOLA is still a relatively new organization, an eagerness to grow the group is ever-present. DeLaRosa, the founder of HOLA, recognizes the importance of the group’s presence in the Cardinal Gibbons community. 

“Celebration of who we are is important for all people. HOLA is an amalgamation of multiple cultures. We have Brazilians, Ecuadorians, Venezuelans, Mexicans…we can’t just say they’re one. It’s a celebration of all…too often we generalize, and we shouldn’t.” 

The rise of affiliation groups in the community has created a space for individuals to unite in spirit. HOLA offers a space for students of Hispanic or Latin backgrounds to share the uniqueness of their cultures through celebration and exposure. 

Going forward, HOLA is excited to grow through future events and service activities. Following in Calle’s footsteps, the HOLA community hopes to expand its impact through student leadership and the continued engagement of its members. Calle’s picnic will serve as a gateway for the future of this affiliation group and an example for all other students hoping to get involved.