Student Spotlight: Christian Loredo-Duran, Alto Saxophone
The sun was still low in the sky, but he was too nervous and too excited to feel the weight of the early morning. His brain leapt from scene to scene, conjuring up all the things that were about to change. Christian Loredo-Duran glanced at his family, his two sisters, his brother, his parents. What would it be like when the car drove away without him? What would it be like to be away from them for this long? What would it be like to go to college? Would he set a good example for his younger siblings? For his family?
When the car turned into the hotel parking lot, his train of thought stopped. Standing there were several people wearing Michigan Marching Band shirts, jumping up and down in the parking lot of the hotel where new members would be housed until the dorms opened.
"I struggled my first year with being away from home," Loredo-Duran said. "I'm the oldest of four. When I left, I knew I would miss them. Through the MMB, I was able to find my home on campus and get those friendships that are founded not only on love, but on empowering each other and sharing these experiences. I found a new form of love for my background and identity, while having a supportive network."
While he no longer lived with his family full time, they were able to experience his college journey alongside him.
"As a first generation Latinx student from a Mexican-American household, it has been special bringing my parents and family along this journey with me," Loredo-Duran said. "My family had never gone to a football game before. My first game, running through the tunnel, my parents bought tickets and got to experience that with me. We all play such a critical role in the spaces we are a part of. Being able to embrace those aspects of our identity and those stories is ultimately what makes the MMB such a unique space."
Loredo-Duran seeks to shape a positive environment in his role as a rank leader candidate, responsible for teaching new marchers during band week, and in his involvement in student organizations that celebrate the Latinx/e community.
"I want to build a safe space where everyone feels valued," Loredo-Duran said. "I think definitely being Latinx, being First-Generation and the oldest in my family, there's been a lot of unintended pressure of making sure I set an example for my younger siblings so that those coming after me know that they can shoot for the stars. The Latinx community is not as big here as in my own community. It was intimidating. Through my time in the MMB, I was able to find those people that make me feel at home. In an environment that could be very competitive, rather than taking on a mindset of being successful on our own, we want to be successful as a collective. My college experience was incredible, and it's because of the MMB."
La Casa is a student organization that provides professional, cultural, academic and social resources to promote the advancement of Latinx/e students on campus.
"A lot of people in La Casa are Latinx and first generation students," Loredo-Duran said. "It's a huge family. It's an organization in which I've been able to connect with people that share my identity and introduce them to different opportunities on campus, and create spaces where we feel welcomed. La Casa is about how we are building our collective voice and collective strength that come with being at such a big university, and how we achieve this together."
Mi Casa Es Tu Casa (MCETC) is another student org that provides resources and support to graduating seniors in high school that come from underrepresented backgrounds. In the 2023-2024 school year, Loredo-Duran served as president of MCETC.
"Most of the students MCETC serves are first generation students from low income and/or single parent households," Loredo-Duran said. "We show them how we are using those identities to empower one another and share our stories. I have found success because there are people genuinely looking out for me. Every year we host an annual scholarship, peer mentoring, we have webinars and we partner with other organizations that are working closer with students, and we talk about how to create those spaces where students feel they are meant to be there."
Loredo-Duran channels that same passion for inclusivity into his studies at the Ford School of Public Policy.
"Growing up, there were a lot of challenges that my community and my family faced," Loredo-Duran said. "It wasn't until I went to college that I realized that a lot of these challenges were a result of institutional policies that were passed in certain communities. I want to study these policies that have created systems that undermine my community. How do I work with policy makers to empower my community and help communities recognize that the situations they may be facing can be overcome?"
After undergrad, Loredo-Duran wants to go to law school to become an immigration attorney.
"I want to change and reform the system," Loredo-Duran said. "A lot of families don't feel supported in the current immigration system. I want to expand my studies in public policy while staying rooted in my community so I can give back to them, so we can succeed as a collective."
In the winter 2024 semester, Loredo-Duran took part in the Michigan in Washington program working as an intern for Rashida Tlaib, the representative for Michigan's 12th congressional district. In the summer of 2024, Loredo-Duran worked at a law firm working in legal aid for migrant farmers.
"I am working in integration and education policy reform," Loredo-Duran said. "I've been able to use the skills I've gained working in DC to approach the challenges the migrant farmer community experiences. I'm working closely with community leaders to develop resources for students and children of migrant workers if they want to apply to college. I've been fortunate enough to be able to connect my experiences to my work, and make sure I can connect my community to these types of opportunities that have opened so many doors for me."
For more information about MCETC visit: https://www.micasaetc.com/about-1.
