NIU celebrated Latin American culture Friday in the name of the Miss Latina NIU 2005 pageant.

The 2005-2006 crown went to sophomore sociology major Rosa Aguilar.

Sigma Lambda Gamma hosted the pageant at the Holmes Student Center where more than 300 people attended, including parents, students and members of the DeKalb community.

Four contestants competed in the pageant. Aguilar, Isaura Guerrero-Perez, Wendy Palma and Michelle Vargas each presented their talents and answered questions about proposals for Latino activism within the DeKalb and NIU communities.

Aguilar presented her Latino pride by dancing an improvised choreography to the rhythm of a Mexican song.

“My partner had an accident, and he could not show up,” Aguilar said in tears. “But I did my best, got the first place, and I am so happy.”

Hagar Allen, president of Sigma Lambda Gamma and Miss Latina 2002, said Aguilar will represent the Latino community well.

“Rosa persevered and pushed through,” Allen said.

Aguilar wants not only to represent the Latino community, but unite it as well.

“As Miss Latina, I will represent Mexico with pride, and I will show that we are all family,” Aguilar said. “I am proud of being Mexican-American.”

As a member of the younger generation of Mexican-Americans, Aguilar said she will do her best to bring minorities together.

“It does not matter what race you are,” Aguilar said. “We will be together.”

Mexican-American activism is extremely important, said Patricio Rodriguez-Rucoba, a senior finance major and recently crowned Mr. Papi Chulo.

It is not just about graduating from college, Rodriguez-Rucoba said, it is about what a person does while pursuing this goal.

Rodriguez-Rucoba said what is most important to him is “being in touch with my roots, and at the same time embracing all cultures.”

Ten million “second generation” U.S.-born children of immigrants comprise 29 percent of all Hispanics currently residing in the United States. Another 11 million comprise the ‘third generation’ (born to two native-born parents) and represent 31 percent of all Latinos, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The bureau also projects that by 2025 the U.S. Latino population will grow from 35 million to 61 million, at which point it will represent 18 percent of the U.S. population.

The 2000 Census already documented the Hispanics’ status as the largest U.S. minority group. Latinos numbered 35 million or 12.5 percent of the U.S. population.