By: T’Neil Gooden
Brooklyn College’s (BC) Mexican Heritage Student Association (MEHSA) is making its stamp on BC and across CUNY by reviving club collaboration, community, and fun.
“MEHSA is a community, and building a cultural understanding of what it means to be a Mexican or a first-generation Mexican American student amongst a large community here at Brooklyn College,” said Elizabeth Vargas, Social Media Manager at MEHSA.
MEHSA was reestablished on campus in the Fall of 2025, and they want to see the club continue to grow and continue to foster inclusivity amongst the student body. MEHSA was made possible by President Alejandro Hernandez, Co-founder Krisstal Ramirez, Club connector Ari Tirado, and Co-founder and faculty advisor Leslie Ramírez-Carbajal.
“There was a mutual agreement that Brooklyn College lacked representation of Mexican culture and students, almost a necessity during these times of increased xenophobia and prejudice,” Tirado said. “After months of planning and outreach, spearheaded by Kriss and Leslie, the first e-board of MEHSA was established, and that is where we are today!”
Members described what being a part of the MEHSA community means to them.
“[MEHSA] provides a warm feeling, a home feeling, on campus for everybody to kind of unify under the same type of circumstances and situations that they came from,” said Jayme Escobar, Vice President of MEHSA.
Grounding itself on being a safe space for students, MEHSA emphasizes the importance of making relationships with the students they are surrounded by every single day.
“I think what draws people to our events is the fact that we’re able to build real relationships with our members outside of our club time,” Vargas said. “We’ve had super loyal members that have been there since our first event last September, who we’re actually personally close with to this day. I think people like that sense of authenticity from us because I feel like you don’t really get that.”
Tirado added to Vargas’s message of authenticity.
“We also make sure people are comfortable, and they feel like they can share who they are with us, and the kind of culture that we are bringing to campus,” he said.
The club’s multicultural events continue to gain traction on the BC campus, with an average of over seventy students attending each experience.
“I think what makes us stand out a little more would be the type of energy that we bring,” Escobar said. “I feel like the community can kind of engage and be able to piggyback and bounce off of each other’s energies, which is kind of what sets the environment for all of us.”
Eboard members want students to know that MEHSA prioritizes working with communities within and outside of BC. MEHSA has collaborated with other CUNY colleges, such as Baruch, Hunter, Lehman, and BMCC, to name a few.
“I think that’s the beauty of being a member of the community as well, not only being able to find a community on campus but also finding a community externally,” Vargas said. “Joining MEHSA, it had never crossed my mind that I would have a relationship with the other CUNY Mexican clubs, like across CUNY, but now I do, and it’s great.”
MEHSA also expressed the importance of working with those clubs and communities that are next-door neighbors.
“Something very unique to Brooklyn College is that they have the Haitian Studies Institute. And to know that we can partner with the CUNY MSI, Mexican Studies Institute,” said Ramírez- Carbajal. “I think that’s something beautiful and that can continue to uplift the work that the team is already doing.”
Emphasizing the importance of working as a team, MEHSA prioritizes holding each other and themselves accountable for the club duties.
“I think as a team, we do well with preparation beforehand in terms of what we want, where we’re having our event, and what the event is about, because all of that has to be done quickly,” said Maria De La Cruz, treasurer for MEHSA. “Sometimes we get so sidetracked with other things and planning other events. And I think that because we’re always holding each other accountable, nothing really gets missed, and things get done very quickly.”
MEHSA’s influence continues to spread as other clubs are beginning to spread their wings following the revival of the MEHSA community.
“As a result of MEHSA’s own creation, the Ecuadorian Student Association (ESA) came to be,” Tirado said.
MEHSA members want students to know that this is a club for students, run by students, so multitasking as college students is a first-hand experience for many people on MEHSA’s team.
“It’s definitely been tricky. But it’s time coordination that will help you the most, and actually dedicating the time,” Tirado said. “Determination is also the other biggest factor. So being determined to actually stay on top of your work.”
MEHSA is looking for more members to join their team, but before the semester ends, students can look forward to more MEHSA events.
“Students can be on the lookout for an end-of-year event since we will be reaching the full year of MEHSA by the end of the school year,” Tirado said. “We’re gonna hopefully turn out and really party pretty hard for those final events.”
Students interested in MEHSA can visit their Instagram, @bc.mehsa25.