Picking up in 1996, the second portion of this exhibit examines the growing presence of Latínídad on campus with the Eliana Ortega Cultural House officially in use. The Latina population on campus was heavily involved in campus protests, advocating for more cultural spaces and rights for people of color. The Latine Living Learning Community (LLC), Mi Gente, was opened in 2018 and expanded in 2025, offering more spaces for Latine students to live together. La Unidad holds its prominent role at Mount Holyoke to this day as one of its major cultural organizations.
The “Flor de Mayo” event highlighted Latino written works, both from established authors and students. The pictures, part of a scrapbook, show Professor Alberto Sandoval-Sanchez, a gay Puerto Rican professor at MHC, author, and mentor to La Unidad.
With the dawn of the new century, the College unveiled the Mount Holyoke Plan for 2003 in 1997. The plan proposed changes to academic programs and a possible removal of needs-blind admissions, spurring protests from numerous parties on campus, but especially from people of color. In April 1997, a class walkout, rally, and sit-in in Mary Lyon Hall took place, led by Fabiola Tafolla, class of 1997. The students who participated in the sit-in faced punishment from the College, including mass suspensions. This is an open letter from suspended La Unidad students sent to the administration in protest.
