Student Organization Event
LALSA holds annual Sangria Social
LALSA will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on Thursday September 27, 2012, with a panel discussion titled “The Power of the Latino Vote…Finally…Maybe.” Panelists include Ramon De la Cruz, Esq., the first Hispanic NJ State Director of Elections at the Office of the NJ Attorney General; Diana Mejia, of Wind of the Spirit Immigration Resource Center; and Arlene Quinones, Esq., registered lobbyist in NJ and law clerk to the Honorable Michael A. Shipp, U.S.M.J. in the U.S. District Court for the District Court of New Jersey.
The Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA) at Seton Hall University School of Law is a non-profit organization committed to preparing law students to succeed as professionals in a diverse legal community.
“Our mission is to educate the law school community on the benefits of diversity and create awareness of the challenges that Latino communities currently face,” says LALSA Co-President, Elsie Gonzalez ’13. “LALSA achieves its goals by providing academic, professional and social support for all students by recognizing the achievements of Latino students and alumni, so that lessons may be learned, mentorship relationships created, and friendships established among the current LALSA members.”
“This event is sure to spark a lively conversation. In March 2012, TIME magazine issues its first non-English language cover titled: ‘Yo Decido: Why Latinos Will Pick the Next President.’ At both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, Latino lawmakers were keynote speakers, emphasizing the pointed partisan interest to win support from the Latino electorate. Many legal scholars would agree that the time has come for the Latino electorate to transform national politics,” says Paola Guido ’13, of the LALSA Executive Board, and Sangria Social Coordinator.
LALSA Co-President, Margo Chaly ’14, believes this event is timely, saying, “It seems as though the ‘Latino electorate’ is a unified voting bloc, and, per the media, will likely vote liberal. But Latinos in the U.S. represent an incredibly diverse population: religiously, politically, and socially. We will not all vote the same way, so is this greatly desired voter bloc even going to be as important as it is portrayed? This is part of what we’ll discuss at the panel.”
“In addition to the voting power of Latinos, the panel will also discuss recent voting laws. Several states passed new voter identification laws, which will seriously prevent a large group of people, Latino and non-Latino alike, from voting. The election law attorneys on the panel may discuss remedies for people turned away from the polls,” adds Chaly.
After the panel discussion, LALSA is hosting its annual Sangria Social. “We encourage attendees to continue the panelist discussion and network during the Sangria Social after the panel,” welcomes Chaly.
The panel event begins at 5 p.m. with the Sangria Social to immediately follow.
“Students of all ethnic backgrounds are welcome and are currently members of LALSA,” says Chaly. “We also have a membership program with the Hispanic Bar Association of NJ, which will include a kick-off event later this fall. LALSA is also co-sponsoring the Diversity Banquet on February 7, 2013, at the Newark Club. The ‘Pa’lante Conference’ will be held in collaboration with LALSA organizations from the 12 other NY/NJ law schools and will feature panels and a keynote reception during a 1-day conference on Saturday March 16, 2013, here at Seton Hall Law School.”
To participate in this event, email lalsa.shu@gmail.com.