Students from different cultures, united by their love for games, gathered Monday for ALAS x AGA: Game Night. This was a collaborative event hosted by the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) and the Asian Gaming Association (AGA). The event brought together two cultural student organizations with one shared goal: to build community through games, culture, and connection.
Javier Gadea Solorzano, President of ALAS, shared how the collaboration began. He explained that the idea first came up last year. ALAS wanted to partner with AGA, but AGA was busy at the time, so they decided to try again this year. This year, both organizations were able to plan the event together. Gadea Solorzano shared that ALAS was inspired by how active and popular AGA’s events are, which motivated them to reach out and create something together.
Each organization hosted a game that reflected its identity and culture. ALAS hosted Lotería, a traditional Mexican game that is similar to bingo but uses colorful picture cards instead of numbers. Lotería is an important part of Mexican culture and is often played at family gatherings and celebrations.
AGA hosted its own version of Jeopardy, creating a competitive and interactive experience for students. The game encouraged teamwork, fast thinking and friendly competition. This matched AGA’s mission of building community through different forms of gaming.
Beyond the games, the event focused on fostering solidarity between students from different backgrounds. Gadea Solorzano explained that the main purpose of the collaboration was to bring people together. Rather than highlighting differences, the event celebrated shared experiences and mutual respect. Students were able to participate in games from both cultures, learn something new and enjoy a welcoming environment.
ALAS works to preserve and showcase Latin culture at Minnesota State. The organization is also proud of creating a safe and unified community for Latin American students while supporting programs for all students. Similarly, AGA’s goal is to build a strong Asian gaming community on campus and encourage connections among students from different social groups.
When asked what excited him most about the event, Gadea Solorzano said he was especially excited about “the blend of two different cultures.” That blend was clear throughout the night as students laughed, competed and supported one another. MSU student Avigail Sanchez shared the same sentiment about the event.
“Growing up, I loved playing loteria, so this game night really made me remember my childhood,” she said. “I really enjoyed the event because I got to learn new things from a culture different from mine.”
ALAS x AGA: Game Night served as a strong example of how collaboration between cultural organizations can create unity, celebrate diversity and strengthen the campus community.
Photo Caption: ALAS x AGA: Game Night is an excellent example of intercultural collaboration, signifying that diversity is a strength. (Troy Yang/The Reporter)
Write to sara.hurtado@mnsu.edu