Twenty-sixth annual Multicultural Day showcases campus diversity

Students Aditi Bhatnegar, 19, psychology major and Faraz Sohail, 23, economics major wear traditional attire at the 2016 Multicultural Day. Photo credit: Kayla Colon

By Kayla Colon
April 12, 2016

Once a year students can look forward to a day of alternative instruction where they are encouraged to attend lectures and visit a multitude of vendors selling diverse products and food.

An estimated 2,500 students are expected to participate in this year’s Multicultural Day, Creating a Culture of Care, either seeing one of the 63 presentations or visiting some of the 40 vendors that are available throughout the campus, according to Committee Co-chair Ranford Hopkins.

“I thought it would be great to bring diversity, some forms of diversity and not just ethnically but culturally and otherwise,” said Hopkins.

Hopkins is the founder of Multicultural Day and brought it to Moorpark College 26 years ago with the goal to give students the opportunity to experience other cultures.

“We wanted to bring everyone together and realize that the world is integrated, and that by experiencing various cultures we would increase knowledge and understanding of each other which would ideally further our goals for peace in the world,” said Hopkins.

Several different programs and departments contributed to Multicultural Day and performed on campus and participated in presentations throughout the day.

“Because of our committee we like interdisciplinary, multicultural approaches so well have a business person, a psych person, a sociologist and myself saying why it’s cool to like superheroes and get away with it on campus,” said Steven Pfeffer, master of ceremonies at Multicultural Day. “But it actually does have relevance, modern mythology.”

After walking through the quad and seeing the different vendors, Lynn Olson, music performance major, performed with the choir as part of today’s entertainment.

“I think [Multicultural Day] is a great idea if students take it seriously and get out to learn something,” said Olson.

Even the vendors were very diverse selling food, clothes and jewelry from different ethnic groups and cultures.

“I travel back and forth to Haiti because I am now in the process of building a child development center for the babies,” said Carline McGrue of the Child of Haiti Foundation.

McGrue sells hand made gifts raising money and awareness for the children in her home country of Haiti.

Other stories on Multicultural Day lectures and performances:

Speaker explores leadership in a college setting

https://www.moorparkreporter.com/4007700/student-life/speaker-explores-leadership-in-a-college-setting/

POW! BAM! BOOM! Superhero lecture brings in many students

https://www.moorparkreporter.com/4007695/student-life/pow-bam-boom-superhero-lecture-brings-in-many-students/ – sthash.assaDbW7.dpuf

Competitive consumption: Do you need it or just want it?

https://www.moorparkreporter.com/category/news/ – sthash.WijZmK8j.dpuf

Professor challenges students to think globally

https://www.moorparkreporter.com/4007688/student-life/professor-challenges-students-to-think-globally/

Everybody was Kung-Fu fighting at Multicultural Day

https://www.moorparkreporter.com/category/student-life/ – sthash.Y9etv0iY.dpuf