Donald Keough, Staff Writer—

Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. (LTA) showed support for the I Stand With Immigrants Day of Action by hosting an interactive tabling event Oct. 25. The day of action is celebrated throughout the country to help raise support for immigrants, and this was LTA’s eighth year of participating.

The tabling event gave students the opportunity to share stories related to issues they have faced as immigrants or friends of immigrants. The event had a whiteboard that students could write statements on, and the event also gave the chance for students to receive a free shirt if they recorded a short video of themselves telling their story as an immigrant or voicing their support for immigrants who have faced struggles.

“People were really responsive and energetic when it came to [participating]. I feel like this community was really excited to play a role in the movement and support what we’re trying to do,” President Jenavier Tejada ‘24 said.

Tejada and Dailin Morfa ‘24 worked to put the event together this year. They led discussions regarding the day of action and encouraged students to share their stories.

“One of the biggest reasons we have this event is because we have a big international student population,” Morfa said. Denison’s Office of Admission reports on their website that over 16% of the student body are international students. “If we can’t understand and respect people who are from different places in the world, then how are we supposed to move forward with the community that we have here at Denison?” 

Students also shared negative experiences they had because of their immigrant status. In one instance, a student’s friend was unable to get a cosmetology license after going through the educational steps because they were unable to obtain their citizenship. 

“Even when you thought someone was gonna say something short, people really went deeper,” Tejada said. “You don’t really realize the gravity of [these issues] unless you have a personal interaction with [them]. Then you start to realize how serious this issue is.”

Looking beyond the event, LTA is continuing their efforts to spread awareness of those who struggle as immigrants. The videos recorded by students at the event and videos from years past are on the LTA chapter’s Instagram page @lta_zetaphi, and the shirts given out were designed to keep the message circulating as students wear them around campus. 

“There were people who came back this year and they already had shirts from last year and still wanted to participate,” Morfa said. “That’s how we also know that people aren’t forgetting this event.”

Being connected to the national organization I Stand With Immigrants, LTA hopes that the movement will continue to spread outside of Denison. 

“It’s not just a closed off benefit to our community, because we’re partnered up with so many different universities and colleges which I think is really cool,” Morfa said. “We want this to become a national thing, and so [being partnered] contributes to that.”

“At the end of the day, you are supporting your peers by doing this,” Tejada said. You’re not just supporting the people in your life or the people you may know who are also immigrants, but those who are also in classes with you.”