Culture of community

Sofia Krupinski receives a fortune cookie from the Chinese Lion.

BY ZOE CHIN

What began as an event for students has grown into a celebration for the entire community. On April 23, cultural clubs came together to host a night of performances and education, bringing students, families, and community members together to celebrate culture and unity.

Throughout the evening, cultural clubs presented performances, shared customs, and hosted informational tables where attendees engaged with clubs and celebrated diversity. “The cultural tables at the Our World on Stage event presented safe opportunities for our community to ask questions and experience different cultures for understanding and connection,” said Dr. Alexandra Wiltshire, one of the organizers of the event.

The club advisors worked closely with student leaders to ensure the event served as both a celebration and an opportunity to educate the community. “We tasked [students] with the requirements, and they ran with it,” said Brittany Fuentes, who helped organize the event. “We are so incredibly proud of them! They displayed their cultures and values so well.”

Hannah Colon explains her poster about Italy to the attendees.

Instead of just handing out brochures, the Spanish Club brought the energy with a visual and entertaining performance. “We had a bull costume, sword, and flag for a matador performance, which is entertainment,” said Isaac Choi. “In previous displays we had maracas, which are used in Hispanic music.”

By encouraging students to step out of their comfort zones, mentors created a space where they felt empowered to share their heritage with both their peers and the public. “I would be pushing myself to be uncomfortable by being on stage, but it also made me feel accomplished and just good to be a part of something,” said Sofia Krupinski.

Sarah Ahmed plays the drum as Aliya Hamido claps along.

The sights of traditional attire and the sounds of global music transformed the gym, creating a unique experience for everyone in attendance. “I hope people learned more about different cultural backgrounds and were able to share their own experiences too,” said Sarah Ahmed.

Attendance exceeded expectations, bringing the entire community together under one roof. “Seeing the event grow beyond just students felt incredibly good, as it showed that our culture connected with the entire community,” said Andrew Zhang. “It was a proud moment to realize we had created a place where people of all backgrounds felt welcome to connect and celebrate together.”

Ved Patel shows a younger student how to play as Asian game.

Many attendees left the event expressing a desire for more opportunities to celebrate the different cultures that make our district unique. “I hope people will learn more depth into other cultures that aren’t that known,” said Ibtihaaj Aminu.

The organizers remain focused on future growth. “Mr. Phillips, Dr. Alex, Mr. Beverly, and I are really looking to make Our World on Stage an annual tradition, with each year expanding our audience and including more community members,” said Fuentes.