The CSUN Latinx Resource Center officially opened its doors to students on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. The open house helped spread the word to students about its purpose and mission.

Held on the Chicano Lawn between the Chicano House and La Casita, the space was decorated with papel picado while Spanish music filled the air. Students were encouraged to grab a plate of El Pollo Loco.

Boards were set up on tables with questions asking students how they want to feel when they walk into the center, what programs or events students would like to see and even a space for students to suggest new names and logos for the center. Students responded with sticky notes pasted onto the boards.

Manning the check-in table, Latinx Resource Center program assistant Joshua Gallardo explained the center’s goal in hosting the open house.

“The thing that I hope for the most is to see people come by and use the space for their own uses, for their events, their programs, to come to our events and programs,” said Gallardo. “All this is really just to benefit the students at the end of the day.”

The center will currently reside in the Chicano House, where they hope students will feel invited to study and enjoy the space. By next year, the center, along with all cultural centers, will be on the first floor of CSUN’s new facility, the Matador Success and Inclusion Center, which is set to open in June 2027.

Vice President of Equity and Student Affairs Freddy Sanchez said CSUN President Beck asked him to do a research study with Dr. Marquita Gammage on identity centers. Their findings revealed that identity centers were a necessity in student enrichment.

“Our hope is that we allow our students to understand that culture matters, that we allow them to understand we’re here to support our students,” said Sanchez.

The center will be partnering with other centers on campus, like the Learning Resource Center, Basic Needs Office and Valera Nest, to support students in different ways.

Despite the resource center moving into the Matador Success and Inclusion Center next summer, the Chicano House and La Casita will remain in use by the Chicano Studies Department, the American Indian Studies program and the Central American and Transborder Studies Department.

Students who attended the event felt at home with the music, outdoor setup and food.

“I wanted to be closer to my culture and this was a very important event for that,” said freshman student Jacalyn Robles. “This feels like a family party I’d see anywhere. When I sat down, I felt like I wasn’t even at school anymore.”

Latinx Resource Center Senior Coordinator Luis Corrales spoke further about the center’s goals and mission in student well-being, which he explained is still being shaped through student feedback.

“We’re just getting an idea of what type of programs do [students] want to see, what do they want to see in terms of initiatives and priorities, because that’s going to really form the mission statement of the center,” said Corrales. “What our hope is to create a space where students feel seen, they feel safe and they feel validated.”

Corrales explained that one of the center’s goals is to connect with counseling services to curate drop-in counseling sessions specifically for Latinx students.

The Latinx Resource Center is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for students to study, relax and use the space.