A dance video posted by Alpha Chi Omega at the University of Houston Downtown has drawn criticism from students and faculty who say the performance inappropriately borrowed from Mexican cultural traditions, reigniting campus conversations about where celebration ends and exploitation begins.
The video, which remained online for approximately 48 hours before being deleted, showed members of the sorority performing a choreographed routine to "Suavemente" by Elvis Crespo. Several dancers wore sombreros and held maracas while performing moves that critics described as stereotypical rather than authentic.
Maria Rodriguez, a junior at UH Downtown and member of the university's Latin American Student Organization, said the performance reduced complex cultural traditions to costume elements. "There's a difference between appreciating a culture and treating it like a theme party," Rodriguez said. "When you put on a sombrero and shake maracas without understanding what those items mean to the people who actually live that culture, you're not celebrating—you're taking."
The sorority did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this article. The video was removed from the chapter's Instagram account on Tuesday, though screen recordings continued circulating on TikTok and Twitter through Wednesday afternoon.
Competing Interpretations
Not all students agreed the performance crossed a line. Jake Morrison, a senior who viewed the video before it was deleted, said he understood why some found it "cringeworthy" but questioned whether it warranted the intensity of backlash. "They clearly liked the song and wanted to do something fun for their recruitment content," Morrison said. "I don't think there was malicious intent, though I get why it landed poorly with some people."
The disagreement reflects broader national uncertainty about cultural borrowing on predominantly white college campuses. Dr. Ana Rodriguez, who teaches courses on Latina/o history and culture at UH Downtown, said intent matters less than impact when majority groups adopt minority cultural practices.
"When a historically white institution uses imagery associated with Mexican heritage—sombreros, specifically, which carry particular regional and class meanings in Mexico—as part of entertainment, it reinforces a power dynamic where that culture exists for others' consumption," she said. "The question isn't whether they meant harm. It's whether members of that culture experience this as another instance of their traditions being extracted without their leadership."
Institutional Response
UH Downtown's Office of Student Life confirmed Wednesday that staff had been "made aware of the situation" but declined to specify whether any formal review was underway. "We encourage all student organizations to engage with our cultural competency resources and are available to facilitate dialogue when requested," said spokesperson Denise Chen in an emailed statement.
The university's Greek life advisory council, which oversees approximately 15 fraternities and sororities, does not currently require cultural sensitivity training specifically addressing appropriation, though general diversity and inclusion modules are mandatory for all registered student organizations.
National headquarters for Alpha Chi Omega, based in Indianapolis, did not return calls seeking comment on whether the chapter faced disciplinary review.
Terminology Debate
The controversy also surfaced tensions around language itself. While several critics and this article's initial sources used "Latinx" to describe affected communities, that term—intended as a gender-inclusive alternative to Latino/Latina—remains contested. Some campus advocates prefer "Latine," while others reject both neologisms in favor of traditional identifiers.
Carlos Mendez-Flores, president of UH Downtown's Mexican Student Association, said his organization generally uses "Latino" in collective reference or specifies national origin when possible. "When we're talking about a song by a Puerto Rican artist and imagery associated with Mexico, 'Latinx' flattens distinctions that actually matter," he said. "The specific cultures being referenced deserve specific attention."
Looking Forward
Student government president Amara Okafor said she planned to request a forum between Greek life representatives and cultural student organizations before spring recruitment begins. "This keeps happening across different campuses, different organizations, different cultures," Okafor said. "The pattern suggests we need structural conversation, not just case-by-case damage control."
For Maria Rodriguez, the immediate priority is ensuring affected students feel heard. "Nobody's saying don't listen to Spanish music or don't learn about other cultures," she said. "We're saying: learn first, engage with the actual people, let them lead how their culture gets represented. That's the respect that was missing here."
The Alpha Chi Omega chapter has not announced any public response beyond deleting the original video.
