A comedy show and pig roast are two events that members of the Puerto Rican Student Association said they hope will help educate MSU students and Lansing-area community members this week.

Puerto Rican Culture Week runs today through Friday.

"This year, we're making it more based on the ethnic value of Puerto Rico, our history and music," organization President David Torres said. "We're covering a lot of culture and heritage."

All of the events will be on campus this semester, a change that group members said they hope will welcome all backgrounds.

The week begins and ends with dancing - Latin dance lessons and karaoke kick off the week Monday, and "Hot Latin Nite" is Friday's finale.

Tuesday evening, MSU theater department alumna Encarnita Figueroa will return to her alma mater for "Is This Limbo?" stand-up comedy monologue.

Members were emphatic to explain that Wednesday's painting of the rock on Farm Lane will be in honor of the discovery of the Puerto Rican island.

"It's not a celebration of our independence," said group Treasurer Denisaira Torres, who is unrelated to David Torres, explaining that in 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered Puerto Rico through the town of Aguada, her hometown.

Thursday's Lechonada pig roast will be like a Puerto Rican Thanksgiving, according to Denisaira Torres.

"Everybody gets together for authentic dinners, a little home-cooked meal," she said.

A special performance will begin around 8:30 p.m., after dinner.

"A lot of times, we don't acknowledge our folk music," said Nashma Carrera, Puerto Rican Student Association adviser, hinting at the event. "Some people don't even know it existed."

The week closes with a free dance featuring reggae, salsa, bachata and merengue music.

"Unfortunately, Puerto Rican nationalism and identity comes from music," Carrera said. "So through our music we express our political structures, our struggles as a Diaspora, our struggles as second-class citizens and just how we feel."