Café y Conversación is back up and running and in person this year after a whole year online.

Café y Conversación is the Spanish language club at Loyola, this year for the first time they are open to new club members no matter what the Spanish speaking ability after it has been
historically being open to Spanish 3 and above only. The club meets every other week in room 140 at 7:30 am ready with a super inclusive atmosphere for all levels of Spanish speakers from people in their first year of Spanish at Loyola to those already fluent in the language.

The club is led by seniors Jasmyne Montoya, Evey Mendoza, and Santiago Echevarria-Robinson who are all fluent in Spanish and have all completed the highest Spanish classes offered by the school. The moderator for the club is Spanish teacher Dr. Tina Melstrom.

The first meeting was September 17 and had a great turnout of over 15 people. Free donuts were offered for all those who came to participate. The students split up into two groups based on Spanish speaking ability and introduced themselves. The students then proceeded to talk amongst themselves in Spanish for 30 minutes until class started.

Although the club only meets two times a month, it holds a special spot in many Ramblers’ hearts. I spoke to Evey Mendoza and Jasmyne Montoya about the club and what it meant to them.

“First coming to Loyola no one really spoke Spanish,” said Mendoza “But now there is a place outside of the classroom where we are able to speak Spanish because we want to.”

The club is incredibly useful for connecting people with similar interests. “I joined the club last year when I transferred, and it definitely helped strengthen my relationships with people in it as well as the moderator who is now even writing my college letter of recommendation.”

Leader Jasmyne Montoya also says that her main job along with the other club leaders is to make sure everyone in the club “feels included and comfortable.”

The club is planning on doing Dia de Los Muertos activities in October leading up to the holiday at the beginning of November.

Café y Conversación’s next meeting is on October 1 in room 140 in the Language Hallway. Anyone is welcome to come by to eat some breakfast and chat with fellow Ramblers in Spanish.