Maggie Otero is the Latino student coordinator at the Multicultural Center. Otero has been working at her center since mid-July and finds fulfillment in working with students. Her position at the center has allowed Otero to create a space she didn’t have when she was an undergraduate, and she wants her students to feel connected and supported throughout their time at the University of Nevada, Reno. She thinks she wants to.
Otero loves connecting with students and getting their input on what kind of events they would like to see. In the coming days, The Center will host an event based on Bad Bunny’s album “YHLQMDLG.” YHLQMDLG is an acronym for “Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da La Gana,” which means “I’ll do whatever I want” in Spanish, on Oct. 11 at the JCSU Theater from 5 to 8:30 p.m. It serves as an inspiration for the events to be held. In “#YHLQMDLG: Breaking the Latinx Label,” students discuss identity, cultural expectations, and who they are.
“I remember being an undergrad and not knowing where to go, what to do, or any events that were culturally relevant to me,” Otero said. “We had Bingo night, but we didn’t have Lotteria night. I’m really excited to have the opportunity to build a space for students to have a cultural experience with the campus community. You also get to learn about their life experiences. Being exposed to different life experiences, different people, different ways of looking at the world is what really makes life so exciting.”
Otero has a motto when working with students: She wants the center to be a place where health, well-being and student success intersect. Her degree in public health allows her to consider big-picture issues and how they impact students’ personal lives.
“I was able to understand how big issues like housing security, financial security, feeling connected, and building community ultimately impact student success,” Otero said. . “A lot of my events incorporate a little bit of building community and a sense of belonging, but also talking about mental health and knowing where we are. I think it’s really important just to build a space where they can talk about these things and know that there are resources for them on campus, and that helps them feel supported. We also hope that it will help you find available resources as well.”
background of otello
Originally from Mexico City, Otero immigrated to the United States at the age of 13 and attended boarding school. The school had a large number of international students, many of whom were from Mexico, allowing Otero to gain a sense of belonging through a shared language and experience. However, during his college years, Otero attended Shriners University in Texas to get his bachelor’s degree and really struggled to find his place.
“I went to college and attended a predominantly white institution. It was a very interesting transition of finding a way to connect with my roots, building a community, and finding my people.” said Otero. “I think it was also a time when the socio-political climate was not so great during the Trump administration. It was hard to find my place, but it was also nice to be able to connect with Latino organizations on campus. It definitely made it a lot easier to be involved.”
While in college, Otero chose public health as a major. She took part in an internship to find out what Mexico’s healthcare policy is like. During this time, Otero advocated for changes to nutrition labeling policies in Mexico and felt like she had found her purpose.
“Ultimately, I took an internship to find out what Mexico’s healthcare policy was and advocate for changes to labeling policies in Mexico, which was really cool,” Otero said. Ta. “I think what really inspired me was being able to see real, impactful change. I felt like public health, specifically health policy, allowed me to make a difference and work with the community that I still love.”
Maggie Otero finds inspiration for events everywhere and wants to create a place for students to connect with each other and their roots. Otero has only been working at the center since July, but she loves her job and hopes to continue hosting events and connecting with students in the future. For more information on events held by the center, check out our Instagram page and website.