In its new venue, the sold-out Locura Latina fundraiser party reached out to more than 400 people in the National Gallery of Canada foyer Nov. 12.
“We wanted to switch up the vibe, expand beyond the student body,” said Carl Karamaoun, the president of Carleton’s Humanitarian Organization of Latin American Students (HOLAS.)
“This year, the diplomatic community [was] there, the professionals, [the people] who are under 19, and people who just aren’t comfortable with clubs.”
The fundraiser was previously held in clubs because they were cheaper, had simple contracts, and were student-oriented, Karamaoun said.
“We liked the look of the National Gallery, and it’s a landmark in Ottawa,” he added.
At the peak point of the party, Karamaoun came on stage and chanted, “When I say Locura, you say Latina,” as the crowd responded in harmony.
The fundraiser will support Comedor Infantil, a project proposed by a HOLAS member. It will benefit 150 children from Las Vegas, Honduras in the construction of a dining hall to combat malnutrition for generations to come, according to an info sheet distributed on the night of the event.
Lines of various Latin American flags across the pillars surrounding the dance floor gave colour to the gleaming water court foyer. With an unmistakably Latin American feel, the night kicked off with salsa dance classes to equip the crowd for the salsa music that followed. Later on in the evening, the audience was treated to the sounds of Ottawa-based Latin DJ Chico.
This year, the crowd saw two new performances by professional salsa dancers and Brazilian percussionists, who mimicked the moves to the vibrant salsa rhythm.
“Every cent tonight will go into feeding 150 children in Honduras, you should be proud of that,” Karamaoun said.
A representative of the Embassy of Honduras thanked HOLAS for putting on the event.
“We want to make people more aware of the cause,” Karamaoun said. “People used to leave the door not having an idea that this is for humanitarian aid. We just threw great parties and we built a reputation for that.”
