The Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA) highlighted UMKC’s diverse population with their Multicultural Night on Sep. 6 in the Atterbury Student Success Center.
The club partnered with other student organizations to put together a full night with lots to see.
This included a guest speaker presentation on Gaza, a table full of traditional Middle Eastern food and drinks, some dances from attendees and a flag walk where people exhibited their nationalities with pride.
The event began with a presentation from humanitarian aid worker Rasha Abousalem about the current conflict in Gaza.
“They help humanize Palestinians and show people who aren’t familiar with the history of the occupation and the oppression to recognize the need for humanity,” said Abousalem when asked about why events like this one matter. “Moments like this are good for the Palestinian community, and other Middle Eastern communities, as they can come out and take the time to enjoy their culture.”
Co-President of MESA Firas Batrash talked about the purpose of this event and what activities were happening.
“It was to get people together on campus and showcase their cultures,” said Batrash, a UMKC senior. “That is why we have a fashion show, some dance performances and are playing some good music from around the world.”
Over 200 people showed up to support their nationalities and ethnicities, and everyone was able to come together and learn about each other’s cultures.
“Everyone is different, but you can have similarities and you can find joy in the differences between each other,” said Rohit Rajput, senior and one of MESA’s photographers.
Aside from connecting cultures, one of the main focuses that MESA had in organizing this event was to educate people and to raise money for a Palestinian bakery in Gaza.
“We had a great speaker reminding us of the importance of being aware socially and politically, and we’re representing a great organization and fundraising a good amount of money,” said Batrash.
Attendees loved the event, enjoying dances and songs from their peers’ cultures. People came together and celebrated their uniqueness through these activities.
“It’s a great display of the culture here at UMKC, the food was amazing, the dances are spectacular and the music is phenomenal,” said Shayaan Anis, a UMKC sophomore majoring in liberal arts.
In addition to enjoying themselves, attendees also found they learned some things from the event.
“Your life is not just dictated by your own culture, cultures are meant to be shared and experienced, “ said Anis. “Burst out of your shell, learn more about the world, different cultures, and different experiences and just fully embrace it.”
To stay connected with MESA, follow them on Instagram.
