Mission Statement

La Asociación Española de Nueva Iberia, Inc. (LAENI) is a nonprofit, volunteer organization incorporated in the City of New Iberia, Louisiana to serve as a vehicle for the recognition and promotion of the Spanish ancestry and culture in New Iberia and throughout Louisiana. LAENI, Inc. encourages, supports and directs programs and activities involving educational, culinary, music, and art exchanges while creating an awareness and deeper understanding of our local Spanish heritage.

Goals

To promote, celebrate, and recognize our local Spanish heritage and culture

To create an awareness of the Spanish influence in Louisiana 

To educate the public on Spanish history by hosting a lecture/workshop series

To promote the celebration of Spanish History Month in our community

Objectives

To Plan and stage the annual El Festival Español de Nueva Iberia

To continue to participate in an annual student exchange program with IES Capellania in Alhaurin de la Torre, Malaga, Andalucia, Spain

To support the exchange of food, music, art, and history between New Iberia and Alhaurin de la Torre by collaborating with Alhaurin for our annual Spanish Exhibits

To plan and host an annual meeting of LAENI, Inc. each year

To host lectures and workshops related to the annual festival theme

To promote the teaching of the Spanish language to intrested individuals 

To collaborate with Spanish and Canary Island associations/venues in Louisiana