The Stanford Latinx Law Students Association (SLLSA) turns 50 years old this year. And ever since its inception in 1970, its members have come together to support one another and celebrate their heritage, while educating the wider law school community about their cultural backgrounds and legal issues affecting the Latinx community.

Originally, the group’s name—Chicano Law Students Association—reflected the Mexican-American lineage of its small but vocal membership. Fred Alvarez, JD ’75 (BA ’72), a partner in the Coblentz law firm and a former member of the university’s board of trustees, recalls that “this was a controversial time—we were trying to convince the law school that we needed more people like us to have a viable community. We were pretty pushy and kind of a pain for the administration.”

But they also were a cohesive group. “We established a sub-community within the law school—sort of like a homeroom where we helped each other out. Almost every Chicano student was a part of it,” says Alvarez. They also formed a mariachi band—La Rondalla. “We got pretty good,” Alvarez says, “and even performed in Dinkelspiel. Our lead singer was Carlos Moreno, JD ’75 [former associate justice of the California Supreme Court and ambassador to Belize].”

The group’s name evolved over time, broadening to include its more diverse membership. In the 1980s, it became La Raza. And by the end of that decade, it was renamed the Stanford Latino Law Students Association. Recently, “Latino” was replaced by the gender-neutral “Latinx.”

But regardless of its name, SLLSA has provided a crucial support system for its members. Michael Hestrin, ’JD 97, district attorney for Riverside County and former SLLSA president, says that “Stanford Law was a bewildering place. We were learning a new language and new skill sets. SLLSA made sure that Latino students felt comfortable when they came to law school.”

Current students echo the importance of SLLSA in facilitating the law school experience. For Elizabeth Sanchez, JD ’20, a first-generation college and professional student, it began during Admitted Students Weekend. “We connected with people who shared our heritage and background and who told us what it was like to be a Latinx student on a very privileged campus. The SLLSA students were extremely welcoming and open to answering questions. Our group stuck together for the whole weekend and all but two ended up coming to SLS.”

“As everyone knows, Latinos are under-represented in the legal profession and Stanford can sometimes feel like a bubble because it’s so socioeconomically homogeneous. With SLLSA, I’ve found cultural connections and bonds that make me feel more comfortable here—more at home,” says Nico González, JD ’20.

This was particularly important to González when he participated in the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. “It felt a little intimidating at first, but having two other SLLSA members in the clinic made a big difference.”

In addition to the informal support that SLLSA members provide, the group organizes panels and speakers on legal issues affecting the Latinx community, seminars on briefing cases, studying for exams, writing résumés and interviewing with potential employers. It also sponsors a variety of social and cultural events, including Semana Latina, an annual celebration of Latino culture for the entire law school community that coincides with Cinco de Mayo, which was renamed Día de Mendez in 2017 in honor of Miguel Mendez, the first Latino professor at SLS. “This year, we were planning to add an alumni dinner and a panel on ‘SLLSA Through the Years,’ ” says Sanchez. Although those plans are on hold for now, SLLSA members are looking forward to celebrating its important milestone on campus sometime next year. SL