By Valentina Toro
Features Editor
Global cultures took center stage on April 29 as the university’s Culture Fest brought music, dance and traditions together in a vibrant celebration of the campus community.
The event, held from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., featured a range of performances, student organizations and food trucks, creating a space where students could engage with different cultures through shared experiences and traditions.
“What inspired this fest, honestly, was the culture here on campus: the students that are always advocating for having a moment to celebrate everybody, no matter where you’re from,” Gian Melendez, graduate intern of Multicultural Affairs, said.
The festival showcased a diverse lineup of performances, including a DJ set and acts such as the Caribbean Vibe Steel Band, Mulan dancers and an OLAS dance team performance. African dance, samba dancers and a Greek showcase followed.
The rhythm of the event remained constant, as music echoed across the Academic Quad, and crowds shifted from one performance to the next.
Food trucks lined the quad, offering a variety of options that complemented the festival’s cultural focus, inviting students for a more immersive experience.
Organizers said Culture Fest was designed to go beyond a typical campus event by fostering a space where students feel recognized and represented.
“Culture fest aims to pay homage to everybody’s culture and where they’re coming from,” Melendez said. “It’s about being intentional about who our students are and giving them what they want.”
For student performers, the event carried deeper meaning. Members of the OLAS dance team said participating in this year’s festival marked a significant return.
“It is important for me and the OLAS dance team to be part of Culture Fest because this is the first year we’ve been able to perform in nearly 10 years,” art education major Mariah Cotto, a junior and OLAS dance coordinator, said.
The fest gave the team a chance to connect with the campus comunity.
“We were able to express ourselves and our culture to our school and continue something that we hope to do annually.” Cotto said.
The team’s performance concluded with a message of advocacy, as dancers ended with an “ICE out” statement addressing current social issues affecting communities.
“I ended our performance with this message because of everything going on in the world,” Cotto said. “Our team is made up of dancers from South and Central America and the Caribbean. It was important to speak on it and make sure our communities are recognized.”
Beyond performance, students pointed out the importance of events like Culture Fest in creating opportunities for visibility and connection.
By bringing together cultures in one space, the festival encouraged students to learn from one another while building a stronger sense of community.
“It showcases many cultures through performances and allows us to express ourselves through music and dance, creating moments not everyone gets to experience every day,” psychology major Ariana LeCates, a junior and vice president of OLAS, said.
