In 2022, a steering committee of WashU alumni who identify as Hispanic, Latinx, and Latin American co-founded La Comunidad. Meaning “the community” in Spanish, La Comunidad is intended as a cultural home for this highly diverse community of WashU alumni and an avenue through which network members can remain engaged with the university. 

Although a national network, La Comunidad is launching with regional events in Chicago and St. Louis. The network holds an annual reception during WashU Reunion.

Want to get involved?

There are a variety of ways to get involved with La Comunidad Network to match your interests and availability. Tell us more about yourself by submitting the form below and a member of our team will contact you with more information.

Introducing La Comunidad

On January 18, Washington University alumni braved pouring rain to celebrate the launch of a new alumni network focused on engaging and connecting the university’s Hispanic, Latinx, and Latin American graduates.

Upcoming Events
STEERING COMMITTEE

Isabel Acevedo, BS ’06
Jorge Castillo, AB ’06
Julia Macias, PhD ’20
Jocelyn Meraz, AB ’18
Carol Pazos, AB ’20
Andrea Straccia, BSBA ’06, MA ’09

A note on terminology

In order to be in alignment with our values and reflect the language currently used on campus at WashU, you will observe La Comunidad using the terms Latinx and Latine. Latinx and Latine push beyond gender binaries and acknowledge the intersecting identities of our incredibly diverse community. For us, these are not exclusionary terms; rather, they open the door to all the ways people want to be identified. Some within our community may use individualized language that reflects their own experience, such as Latino, Latina, Hispanic, Afro-Latinx or specific national/regional identities (e.g., Costa Rican, Brazilian, Puerto Rican, Chicano/a). We commit to re-evaluating our approach as language continues to evolve and as we receive feedback from our community.