En Confianza (In Confidence) is a group focused on offering a safe space for students who identify as Latinx/Chicanx and/or Hispanx, according to the university.
The official website mentions that the students enforce community, discuss their problems and support each other.
The group meets on Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., according to an online flyer on the official Instagram page of the Latinx Resource Center (LRC).
En Confianza encourages people to come whether or not they speak English, Spanish or a mix of both.
Maria Elena Garibay functions as the moderator for the group and is a licensed clinical therapist. An SDSU alumna, Garibay has experience providing therapy to both individuals and couples, according to SDSU.
Garibay said the group has existed for a year.
Garibay explained that the group’s name came after various conversations about what the group represents. Garibay said the group focused on culture and getting students together to have fun and share their experiences with each other, although the group is not intended or allowed to provide professional therapy.
Senior Jeremy Garcia is a member of En Confianza and is studying to also become a therapist.
Garcia said he is happy to be a part of En Confianza, since he is looking for opportunities to connect with other undergraduate students.
“I love growth, dealing with different identities and trying to hold onto the ones we have,” Garcia said.
Raul Caleb Perez, another member of En Confianza, graduated from SDSU in 2020, after majoring in child development.
“Listening to others, you learn more from them,” Perez said.
Perez mentioned that he missed socializing. He also shared he had never been in a group dedicated to Latinx peoples such as En Confianza but he was happy because the group provides an opportunity to connect with Mexicans who have roots in different parts of Mexico.
For many students, it is important that SDSU offers these kinds of programs, especially because the university holds the distinction of being a Hispanic Serving Institution.
According to an article published in 2012, “a school must have a Hispanic population of at least 25 percent to qualify for the designation.” Just for the 2019-2020 school year, SDSU had a population of 11,140 Hispanic students, according to a report.
According to the same report, Hispanic students make up the second largest race/ethnicity to enroll at SDSU that school year, since they made up about 31% of the population.
More information about En Confianza can be found on the LRC’s official Instagram page. More information can also be found in the LRC in person, on the first floor of the Malcolm A. Love Library, next to the Chicanos/as/.
The LRC also promotes events by coming to other support groups, like Joteria Sin Fronteras.
Joteria sin Fronteras is a group dedicated to supporting Latinx students that also identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. The group gets together to create a sense of community with joy, friendship, knowledge and fun activities, according to the LRC. They hold meetings on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
They meet next on Sept. 23 for their weekly Thursday Zoom meeting.
