Matthew Chavez Cruz (Khoury ’27) is a first year Computer Science and Media Arts student who is also the Co-President of the LGBTQ+ Latin American Association (LLAMA). Matthew organized this club with friends he met through the Honors Program.
“The friends I met are all different majors but are all in East Village (two of them being a few doors down). We’re all LGBTQ+ Latin American students and were able to became closer because of that. I had decided to go to an affinity group for that intersection of identity, and with the host, Maya Bravo, another friend and I starting working on creating an actual organization. We recruited more of our friends and really started refining our goals and ideas for the club. We ended up with LLAMA (LGBTQ+ Latin American Association) and have since been moving towards holding events and meetings! Our insta account is @nu_llama! I just overall feel so proud and excited to be apart of something so special. It was through the Honors Program that I was able to meet my friends and now fellow board members which I’m so thankful for.”
What other activities are you involved in on campus?
- ColorStack
- First Generation & Low Income Student Union (FGLISU)
- Art4All
- Latin American Student Organization (LASO)
What is your favorite Honors memory?
Playing in the East Village Smash Tournament was really fun, and I moved up in the bracket which was something I hadn’t expected. A few of my friends came down to watch and I was just happy I won the first round!
What events or activities would you recommend to new Honors students?
I would definitely recommend the drag events, they are so fun and engaging! Going to the concerts and other performances on campus have been amazing opportunities. And if you’re able to, I’d encourage people to go to the clubs I’ve been involved in!