LUCHA

Latinas/os/xs Unidos Con Honor y Amistad (Translation: Latinas/os/xs United with Honor and Friendship) LUCHA was co-founded by Dr. Marielisbet Perez-Quetives and Dr. José Del Real Viramontes. As first-generation college students, Dr. Perez-Quetives and Dr. Del Real Viramontes realize how valuable receiving support and mentorship can be in students’ academic journey. Therefore, their goal was to create a space to support other Latina/o/x students with their academic, professional, and personal goals.  LUCHA was a student support group made up of Latina/o/x undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Students come from across disciplines and fields. In addition, LUCHA was a family-oriented space for students who identify and come from different races and ethnicities of Latin American descent.  All members were committed to coming together and creating a safe space where they shared personal experiences and stories without guilt or judgment but rather felt unconditional support for one another.