The Culture Fest Showcases Student Diversity at CSULB

Story and photos by Delaney Tran

Students watched, recorded and cheered for performers on stage. | Delaney Tran

Students gathered around the many cultural club tables lined up along the University Student Union’s North Lawn as the sound of “Get Up” by Ciara blasted on the speakers. One of the tables had the Cambodian Student Society, an organization that works to educate peers and the Long Beach community about Cambodian culture through conferences, events, and culture shows – such as their upcoming event “The Curse of Pisey,” happening on March 15.

“I joined because I am originally from Cambodia, so when I came here, I wanted to connect with people from my culture,” said Na Kiet, a third-year mechanical engineering major and member of the Cambodian Student Society.

He was among many students showcasing and sharing their culture at Culture Fest, a new event hosted by Associated Students, Inc. on Thursday, March 5 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Cambodian Student Society works to promote and educate the Long Beach community on Cambodia culture through a many events, including conferences and culture shows. | Delaney Tran

The idea for the Fest originated at the beginning of last semester when ASI President Lizbeth Velasquez first came into office. She wanted to support the many cultures and diversity found at Cal State Long Beach. As ASI annually hosts Conscious Collection to promote diversity through the arts, Velasquez decided to expand the event to include clubs and performances.

As the chief diversity officer at ASI, Maythe Alderete Gonzalez supervised the president’s cabinet and was part of organizing Culture Fest. She wanted to create a space for people of color, such as herself, to feel supported and celebrate the diverse student body at CSULB.

“The idea was to support different cultures on campus,” Gonzalez expressed. “We have the whole slogan of ‘no barriers’ on campus, and we are told often times students come here knowing it is a diverse campus. We know they want a space to celebrate the cultures.”

Juan Gonzalez, a psychology major, basket weaves at one of the cultural tables showcased at the festival. | Delaney Tran

Among the celebration, a large component was learning and educating students on different cultures. There were 16 student organizations that tabled, among them the Muslim Student Association and South Asian Student Association. Former exchange student Toni Floss mentioned that she visited the different tables and asked questions about Native Americans at the American Indian Student Center, where students could weave baskets.

There was also a small tent to showcase artworks, incorporating the basis of what Conscious Collection was originally all about. It featured students including Mlou Aquino, a senior psychology major, who was a previous artist in Conscious Collection. They have participated in the Collection since spring 2018 and were happy to showcase their artwork once again at the Culture Fest.

A tent was set up to display student artworks, some of the artist had previously participated in the Conscious Collection, including Mlou Aquino. | Delaney Tran

Artists displayed their artwork with the name of the piece and any other information beside it. | Delaney Tran

Their artwork titled “Stretch It Out” featured human forms stretched out and repeated throughout the canvas in an intricate piece. Aquino described that it had started off as a small doodle and “ended up being like that.”

“I really like to do patterns, so it’s patterns copy and pasted,” Aquino said, describing their art style. “When I make this kind of art, it’s like my brain—it’s jumbled and crowded. So how I get it, it’s repetitive art.”

Mlou Aquino, a psychology major student, art piece titled "Stretch It Out," a series of repeated and elongated human forms patterned throughout. | Delaney Tran

The students’ favorite were the performances, many of which were done by student groups on campus. Included were Bollywood dancing from CSULB Beach Bollywood Dance Team, taiko drums from Hikari Taiko group, and Mexican folk dance from Grupo Folklórico Méxica de CSULB. There was also the Shining Jewelettez Dance Team, an all-black female dance group that promotes “body positivity, melanin empowerment, and self confidence,” according to the announced description.

“The best parts were the performances and the diversity,” Floss said. “Everything is different, but beautiful. It’s very accepted here [CSULB] and I love that.”

The Hikari Taiko group drummed up some beats with chants and choreographed movements. They were among one of the many performers showcasing their culture. | Delaney Tran

This article was originally posted on the DIG MAG website.