On November 9 West High’s cultural clubs including Asian Pacific Islanders (API), Black Student Union (BSU), Spanish club and Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztalan (M.E.C.h.A) all came together to celebrate and share their different cultures with the community. The money fundraised from the event went towards the prevention and awareness of human trafficking. The clubs and members of the community joined in the cafeteria to share their cultural foods, listen to music, socialize and watch the clubs perform. Ms. Audrey Harrison, advisor of BSU, believes that culture is important because “Everyone brings something different and special to the table,” and that without culture “we would be a poorer society.”

The event started off with everyone grabbing plates and heading over to the tables where club members were passing out cultural foods. After receiving the food, everyone sat at the cafeteria tables and enjoyed the club performances. API took the stage and shocked everyone with their well coordinated dance and lively music. Then M.E.C.h.A mesmerized the crowd with their flowing and vibrant skirts in a traditional dance called the folkórico. One of the members from M.E.C.h.A recited a poem that reflected the significance of knowing your culture and background to understand who you are today. Later that evening the different clubs began to dance with each other. This perfectly demonstrates the power of music and its ability to unite people from different backgrounds and ethnicities.

Senior Brandon Doan, president of Spanish club, believes that culture is important because it gives everyone “a sense of belonging to a community of people who are like you.” People are able to express themselves through their culture and take pride in who they are. Throughout the night the various clubs demonstrated their cultural pride through their food, performances and clothes. This event gave members of our school and community an opportunity to learn about the different ethnic clubs that we have on campus. Senior Paola Duran, secretary of M.E.C.h.A, said that diversity is important because it “allows you an insight into other cultures.”

With the vast diversity on campus, students and teachers are constantly exposed to different cultures, which allows us to be more understanding towards our peers and their different walks of life. Having a diverse community is essential for societal growth and a broader knowledge on various groups and cultures that make up our world. It is important for West High to host events like the International Feast so that the different groups on campus are able to come together to celebrate their differences regardless of their background.