Music, education and culture will collide at the first ever Afro-Latino festival Tuesday.

MSC Committee for the Awareness of Mexican American Culture and the Woodson Black Awareness Committee have partnered to organize the festival which will include booths by student organizations, free food, live music and dance lessons by dance school Strictly Salsa. Every booth will pick a country and educate students on Afro-Latino presence in that country. The festival will feature live music by Aurelio Martinez, a Honduran musician, and his band.

The festival is perfectly timed as MSC CAMAC just shifted its focus from just Mexican-American culture to being a Latinx programming committee according to junior education major and MSC CAMAC Education Director Ruben Delgado.

“We just expanded to being a Latinx programming committee in order to be inclusive of all Latin cultures,” Delgado said. “Through this program we wanted to create a stronger sense community and connection in the Afro-Latin culture.”

Wildlife and fisheries and entomology senior and former chair of WBAC Jalyn Golden believes this program is the perfect way to represent Afro-Latin culture. As an Afro-Latina herself, Golden said she felt like she never fit in, so she wants to create a stronger sense of community for intermix cultures.

“My main language is English, but sometimes I will have a Spanish accent and I get so many flabbergasted looks,” Golden said. “One thing I really hope that people walk away learning that you can’t judge somebody’s race or background or ethnicity just by simply looking at them because there are so many sub races and cultures in every country.”

Director of Strictly Salsa, a dance school in Houston focusing on Latin American styles, Raul Orlando said he was more than happy to bring the program to campus as they have launched an Afro-Latino festival for the past four years in Houston. Strictly Salsa will be giving a short performance and then teaching a dance class for participants.

“We are excited to celebrate and spread Afro-Latin culture,” Orlando said. “We will be teaching one class divided into two parts, focusing on Rumba in the first part and Salsa in the other.”

The goal is for people to enjoy themselves as well as learn something new, according to Delgado.

“We are hoping people think of intermix culture like they haven’t thought of before,” Delgado said.  “Lastly, we want people to be entertained, have fun and enjoy the program.”

The festival will be held on Tuesday, April 18 at 7 p.m. in Rudder Plaza.