History

We belong.

The Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center arose from the struggle for civil rights and economic justice that found many U.S. campuses and cities in turmoil during the 1960s. At the University of Connecticut, issues such as racism, inequality, and access to education and employment were addressed by many student groups and concerned individuals.

For Latinx/a/o at UConn, this effort was led by three students who drafted a constitution to form the Puerto Rican Student Movement in 1970. After months of protests and sit-ins at the president’s office, the University gave us a building. La Casa Borinqueña (The Puerto Rican House) opened on December 10, 1971.

And we have not stopped working. In just 50 years our inclusive center has been part of the multicultural fabric of UConn, working both independently and collaboratively to build community, spotlight and nurture our heritage, and support students as they discover who they are and who they want to become.