Behind the scenes: LASO’s El Baile brings culture and community to life 

Editor’s note: 42Fifty Social Media Editor Skye Weaver is a member of LASO, but did not participate in the writing, editing, or publishing of this story.

The bright sounds of festive music, varieties of mouth-watering scents, and waves of laughter filled the OH auxillary gym for El Baile, “the dance” or “dance party,” as the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) hosted the cultural event “It’s Baile” on Sat., April 26.

While students enjoyed the music, food, and dancing at the event, much of the event’s success came from the months of extensive preparation and teamwork behind the scenes. 

“LASO wanted to make an event for everyone to enjoy Latinx culture,” said OH Spanish teacher and LASO sponsor Jessica Yandun.

“Having an event that makes the Latinx community present and valuable to the school is important. Latinx students have a rightful presence in our community,” she said.

The event’s planning started early, with collaboration among students, sponsors, and supporters. “Our LASO members wanted this event, and we’ve been planning since. We are so grateful for our members’ board, local businesses, and teacher sponsors,” Yandun said.

According to Yandun, from the moment the idea was proposed, students stepped up to lead different parts of the planning process, from designing decorations to contacting local businesses for support.

The planning phase was a team effort that showed the leadership and creativity of everyone involved.

One of the main goals was not only celebration but fundraising. “Finding the way to make this cost-effective and raise more money for our Latinx scholarship has been our biggest challenge,” Yandun explained.

This scholarship helps Latinx seniors pursuing college, and a large portion of the event’s proceeds went directly to this cause. The balance between creating a joyful experience and meeting financial goals made the planning process even more meaningful. 

Francisca Castellanos, a Spanish teacher at OH and co-sponsor of LASO, said the effort it took to make the event happen was immense. “We needed to be organized with food, decorations, ticket sales, and administration,” she said.

“We were nervous about whether we had enough food and how many people would actually come,” Castellanos added. From managing vendors to coordinating volunteers, there were countless moving parts that needed to be handled in a short period of time. 

Some unexpected problems, like facility or vendor issues, were handled calmly. “We try to stay calm and assess problems quickly by contacting maintenance or whoever we need,” Castellanons said.

With a tight timeline and high expectations, staying calm and working through issues quickly was a key to ensuring the event ran smoothly. 

OH junior and LASO member Amanda Garcia was a crucial part of the process. “I cut the tickets, helped brainstorm activities, and managed the money box during the event,” she said. 

Garcia also worked with others to promote the event through flyers and social media and helped prepare raffle baskets. “It was a lot to balance with school, but we all wanted it to be the best it could be,” said Garcia.

Her leadership at the entrance table and involvement in every phase of the event reflected her dedication to LASO and its mission.

“This event makes me feel seen. It’s very collaborative and shows how well our identities are represented and uplifted at OHS.” Garcia said she looked forward most to the community aspect.

“Having a safe place where no one is judged for their background is very important,” she said. “This event gave us space to embrace our culture with pride.”

Planning the baile involved teamwork from everyone in LASO. “Some of the first steps taking place to get the event started was to decide what we wanted to have,” said Castellanos.

“The music if we wanted to have a DJ and the songs or Tamborazo. The food we will like to sell, the desserts and drinks flavors,” she added. “It is hard because there is a lot of organizing, but if everyone does their part, it is easier.”

For students, the event had a deeper meaning. “This event really makes me feel seen because it is very collaborative,” said Garcia.

“The event allows us all to be creative and pitch in ideas without the concern of being judged.” She said the experience helped her connect more with others and see how “our identities are allowed to be represented and uplifted at OHS.” 

From food and music to raffles and decorations, LASO’s Baile was more than just a party; it was a powerful expression of cultural identity, teamwork, and student leadership.

As Garcia said, “Teamwork makes the dream work.”