FRIENDS FOR LIFE: Members of the Latin American Women’s Group of Princeton, which has provided a touch of home to Latinas since 1983.

By Anne Levin

Four decades ago, three women met in Princeton to share a cup of coffee and speak Spanish together. Married to non-Latinos and missing their native cultures, the women had encountered each other by chance, and decided to meet.

That initial coffee date was the seed for the Latin American Women’s Group of Princeton, a lively group that now numbers some 25 members who are natives of 11 Latin American countries. On Saturday, October 14, the group will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a party at the Nassau Inn.

“You have to understand, 40 years ago there was hardly anybody around here who spoke Spanish,” said Alice Faroh, current president of the group. “These women — Irene Wynne and Marta Vega from Venezuela, and Cristina Naithani from El Salvador — missed their language and their culture. When Irene happened to hear the other two speaking Spanish, she grabbed them.”

A diverse group made up scientists, professors, psychologists, lawyers, and other professionals, the women meet in each other’s homes to host guest speakers who share an interest in Latin America. “It’s very enriching,” said Faroh, who teaches Spanish at Rider University. “We talk about different subjects. It might be science, politics, literature, or music, or a new book.”

Several professors from Princeton, Rider, and Rutgers universities, as well as the University of Pennsylvania, New York University, and Penn State have given talks to the group. The list of speakers over the years numbers 280, and includes Paul Sigmund, Ignacio Walker, Michael Jimenez, and Jeremy Adelman.

Members have listened to Latin American piano compositions played by John Penacchi, Antonio Sala, and Juan Ananos. Musicologists John Burkhalter and the late Eugene Roan have given recitals of Latin American music, on instruments from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Of course, there is food. “It’s very important,” said Faroh. “It’s one of the main things. We have five members each month who bring a dish. We have sweets, savories, and coffee. It’s my favorite part.”

Since 1991, the group has been awarding three annual scholarships for books to 78 exceptional Latina high school graduates. During the pandemic, the women learned different perspectives about the virus from one of its members, Dr. Carmen Raventos-Suarez.

“Being a scientist brought me out of my locked world of fascination, where everything was understanding life at the cellular level,” Raventos-Suarez said. “It pushed me to the world as a whole through literature, community, social responsibilities, and the joy of being part of the future as part of a plural facet group.”

Other members have reflected on their experiences. “Being part of this wonderful, diverse family of Latin American women has been gratifying for me,” said Delfina Lester. “We have attended a very rich, exciting, and thought-provoking variety of lectures about our countries, other countries’ cultures, science, society, books, and other interesting topics. But most importantly, we are always hungry for constant new knowledge and to have a fun time together in solid unity, speaking our beautiful language.”

Lidia Harbat said membership in the group “gives me the space I need to balance my Hispanic heritage with my American life and family.”

While most members are in their 60s, anyone can join. “We try to get younger generations,” said Faroh. “Our main idea is to keep our language alive, and learn a lot about different cultures as well as our own. It’s something all of us value.”