¡Bienvenidos a nuestra familia! On behalf of the Northeastern Latin American Student Organization (LASO), I would like to welcome you to our familia. This familia has existed with great passion and pride since 1988. In these past 20 years, LASO has positively changed the lives of countless Northeastern students and has impacted the surrounding community through various activities, advocating for justice with a passionate force. In LASO, we fight for what we believe in and support each other with any problem we may face as students. I have been a member of the LASO familia for the past three years and throughout these years I have grown as an individual, student, and student leader thanks to my brothers and sisters in LASO. I have a lot of love and passion for LASO and in this year I want to share my love and passion with you all.

In LASO, the President, Executive Vice President, Vice President of External Affairs, Treasurer, and Secretary are not referred to as the Executive Board, but instead are collectively known as the Executive Team (or E-Team). We are a team of LASO members whose purpose and responsibility is to serve the membership and guide them in realizing the great potential that lies in every one of us. Opportunities for members to become Team Leaders are available and in these roles, members participate in the entire process of execution of events and/or projects. The E-Team acts as a guide for any assistance needed. Please also note that we are open to ideas any member has and wants to see come to fruition. We embrace all ideas and work hard in making them a reality.

Over the course of the 2008-2009 academic year, we'll be celebrating LASO’s 20th anniversary. We are also heavily supporting Justice for NU Janitors which was started two years ago with members of Progressive Student Alliance (PSA) jointly with members of LASO. Justice for Janitors is an ongoing campaign that is striving to improve janitors’ working conditions at Northeastern. Throughout LASO’s history, I have noticed how much power and influence students really can have. For example, LASO has been an advocate for Latino-specific scholarships which spawned the LaCLA scholarship; in addition, LASO is responsible for the building many Northeastern Latin American students call home which is the Latino/a Student Culture Center (LSCC). We are celebrating our anniversary by going back to LASO history with dances, music, food, politics, education and fighting for righteous causes with pride and passion.

I hope you join us in this year and experience the true meaning of “familia.”

Sincerely yours y con mucho cariño,

Yoelinson Castillo
LASO 2008-2009 President