El Grito of the University will be a celebration of arts, family, and Latinx/Hispanic heritage roots in cultural ties to past and modern lived experiences. El Grito means the cry, as it was a “battle cry” of independence and fits our Battle Born state. Through the Latino Research Center and Center for Student Engagement, the university invites everyone to participate in this day-long, free event; the anticipated range of participants includes university faculty, students, clubs, and the community. This event will be the first of its kind to invite Lowrider aficionados to engage in a parade beginning in downtown Reno toward the final event site on the north campus of the University of Nevada, Reno.

Lowriders are considered artistic masterpieces intertwined with Latinx/Hispanic identity, family, and religion. Visually, the cars display vibrant colors, patterns, and symbols; unlike other vehicles, they are designed to be slow-moving works of art emblematic of Hispanic patriotism. As Hispanic soldiers returned from WWII, they took their military service funds and invested in cars that captured their history, family, patriotism, and love of community. The dominant culture took this affinity and connected it to gang activity. A primary goal of this program is to give this art form its rightful place in American culture. To do so, participants will engage in multiple cultural and artistic experiences beyond the parade at the event