Fans of Western Oregon University athletics can support Latino and Hispanic student-athletes by buying a special beer at tailgate events.
According to Inside Higher Ed, an Oregon-based brewery created a specialty beer that funds scholarships for Hispanic and Latino student-athletes at Western Oregon.
Inside Higher Ed explains that overall Hispanic and Latino enrollment has grown over the past decade, with those students making up around 20 percent of all 18- to 24-year-olds in higher education in 2021.
However, Latino students remain underrepresented in collegiate athletics, with only 7 percent of all student-athletes identifying as Hispanic or Latino, according to 2024 data from the NCAA.
Western Oregon currently has a Hispanic and Latino student population of around 24 percent, with 74 percent of those students receiving financial aid.
Xicha Brewing is a Latino-owned company with roots in Salem, Ore. The brewery approached the university this past fall to create a specialty pilsner, called Mi Familia, for WOU Athletics “so they could play a larger role in supporting Latiné students in the community,” says Maureen Brakke, director of marketing and communications at WOU.
The name Mia Familia, or “my family” in Spanish, represents the Latino and the university communities, according to an October 2024 press release. For every sale of the Mi Familia pilsner, a percentage is donated to fund the scholarship, which is exclusively available for Latino student athletes.
Patrons can purchase Mi Familia at a beer garden during football games or at Rookie’s Sports Tap, a local eatery in Monmouth that sponsors WOU Athletics.
“By investing in the education and success of Latiné student athletes now, the program aims to create a brighter future for the next generations of leaders,” Brakke says. “This initiative not only supports individual students but also contributes to the overall empowerment of the Latiné community.”
