Osos Sin Fronteras: Everyone is Welcome at UNC’s Spanish Club

Latino students make up roughly 27% of the University of Northern Colorado’s student population, and Spanish culture is integrated into every part of the campus. Murals in Candelaria hall outline the life and culture of Martin Candelaria, the university's first Hispanic professor. Exhibits showcasing the United Farm Workers of America are on full display in the Michener Library, and the most integral and popular spot that supports Latino students is the La Casita cultural center, located just across from Candelaria. 

Osos Sin Fronteras, Bears Without Borders, is UNC’s Spanish club. It was created three years ago and hosts a variety of activities, including dances, movie nights and craft days. The club serves to support not just the Latino community, but anybody who is interested in learning Spanish and connecting with the culture. 

Paula Jaimes is a second year student and president of the club. Jaimes said that the club welcomes everyone regardless of Spanish level.

“We have a lot of people from a lot of places in the world, not only from Latin America,” Jaimes said. “They are welcome from every demographic.”

The club just hosted its first meeting of the school year, a craft night and introductory meeting in the basement of the La Casita cultural center. 

José Jorge Guerrero is a third year student and one of the original founders of the club. He and several other students created the club after noticing a lack of inclusive environments for Spanish speakers at UNC.

“We wanted a place for, like, people who were speaking Spanish, or like people who were native speakers to connect with other people,” Guerrero said.

The club has grown exponentially since its start, attendance only tapering during the spring semester and very beginning of the school year. 

“The second year, we were like, 20 to 17 people,” Guerrero said. “Now, we just started the semester, and we’re 13 people.”

The reason for the growth has to do with the community that the club has built. All students are welcome, and the club provides a safe space for students to discuss their lives and culture. Students make meaningful connections, and can come to further their Spanish level or just hang out.

“It’s like a community, a community for my culture, my people, people that can understand me,” Jaimes said. “We all understand what we’re going through, and yeah, we can support each other."

Guerrero stated that nobody should be dissuaded from joining the club over fear of judgement. Club members are non-judgemental, and focus on growing as people.

“We care about who you want to be, what you want to be in the future,” Guerrero said. “We’re all people, so everyone is welcome.”

Spanish club meets weekly, and students can find out more about the club from their Instagram page, unco_osossinfronteras.