Last month on April 9, Moorpark College hosted its annual Multicultural Day with the theme “Finding Joy, Discovering Connections.” This celebration and alternative day of learning spanned from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and aimed to foster understanding, appreciation and connection among diverse cultures within the school as well as its surrounding community.
Multicultural Day originated over three decades ago through the dedication of Moorpark College faculty and staff. Since then, it has evolved into a cornerstone event that embodies the college’s commitment to education and inclusivity.
Upon arrival to the quad, attendees could view different performances including one by Mariachi Alacran, a band composed of students from Camarillo Adolfo High School.
Along with this musical performance, guests could visit the Performing Arts Center to watch West African Dance, “Culture of Creativity” a “Student One Acts” rehearsal, or a performance-presentation by the Jazz Combo, “Sunday Kind of Love” which explained how Jazz musicians communicate with one another.
Additionally, in the quad attendees could find an array of activities to engage in or information booths to learn from. This included a Japanese calligraphy activity booth, an information table run by the Student Health Center, food trucks and free haircuts from Raider Central.
Moorpark College student Ryder McKinley spoke about what he thought of the organization of the event.
“I didn’t even know that Moorpark did this sort of thing,” McKinley said. “I went to a couple different sessions though and I think it’s so cool that they were able to bring in all these different people with different backgrounds and really educate students on things they may have never even heard of.”
In varying classrooms across campus, students could attend presentations on topics including Vietnamese folk medicine, disability advocacy and even the use of AI.
Notably, Julie Tumamait-Stenslie, a Chumash Elder, shared her rich cultural heritage and insights, inviting attendees to celebrate and honor the indigenous traditions of the region.
Another event of the day was the panel discussion titled “4 Poets Ponder Belonging in the Diaspora” where local writers, including Moorpark College President, Dr. Julius Sokenu shared their reflections on identity and belonging around the theme of diaspora.
“This whole idea of diaspora, and to just give you a sense of me, I am originally from Nigeria, West Africa,” said Sokenu. “When I was born, my parents were students in Britain and the bulk of my adult life was spent in this country. I speak Yoruba, some Creole, and I speak English. In a sense, within the embodiments of diaspora, this experience of a person – I feel that way. The poems I write are in an attempt to find connection to place.”
Those interested in learning more about the school’s history could attend “The Curious History of Moorpark College,” where facilitators from the Theatre Arts department played their podcast that explores the school’s history and stories through interviews with custodians and alumni.
Moorpark College student and facilitator Anna Belle Sanders described some of the stories they gathered during the process of creating the podcast.
“We interviewed custodians about the ghost of Fountain Hall and the hauntings,” Sanders said. “Then we made it into a script and cast students to reenact the interviews. We also interviewed an alumni about our ski and snowboarding class that was on campus in the 80s.”
Moorpark College will be rounding out the semester with a variety of campus-wide events for students. To view the Moorpark College events calendar, click here.
