Lynn Wloszek

Three Sweeney Hall staff members knew they would have to make a lot of food
for their “Taste of Flava” program Wednesday — so they started early.

Multicultural Adviser Tamika Swanigan, Illinois senior, said the food preparation began six hours before the event.

The Hispanic Heritage Month event fed more than 100 people and taught salsa and meringue styles of dance to about 30 people.

“I wasn’t too sure before, but it was a great turnout,” Bay City junior Catrina Velasquez said.

Velasquez, Sweeney Hall resident assistant, planned the event with Swanigan and R.A. Diahann McCarty, Muskegon senior.

“I did it to show my culture and get (the residents) to taste something they haven’t had before,” Velasquez said.

Swanigan said Velasquez’s mother, Helen Velasquez, made some of the food the night before to help her daughter.

“She asked me if I would make a certain dish, menudo, which is sort of
a delicacy,” said Helen Velasquez, Bay City resident. “I thought it would
be fun. This is great; there’s a lot of participation and involvement.”

The menudo was served along with Spanish rice, enchiladas, chips, salsa
and other items. Swanigan encouraged people to stay for dancing after they
ate.

“Are you guys ready to learn some dancing?  I told you that you couldn’t leave.” Swanigan said.

Mike Donaldson, Macomb Township junior and Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity member and Catrina Velasquez taught people salsa moves.

“People usually contact us to teach dance lessons,” Donaldson said of
his fraternity, which works to educate people about the contributions, presence
and voice of the Latino community.

Several people stepped up to dance with Donaldson. Hudsonville junior Kassidy Ratledge said she liked the dancing.

“I was excited to learn about it,” she said. “I caught on; I have somewhat of a beat.”

Ratledge said she enjoyed the food.

“It was a lot different than we’d get in the dining commons,” she said.

Detroit sophomore Shaun Smith said he heard about the program through
his involvement in a diversity program and said the food was “very good.”

“I liked the enchiladas — I just hope it doesn’t catch up with me later,” he said.

E-mail the author: Tony Lascari