Cue the music, decorations, and celebrations! Complete with stage lights, cultural wear, and a supportive and eager crowd, West High hosted Multicultural Day on February 18. The annual celebration allocated a time to embrace every student’s culture. 

   Students filled rows of the Performing Arts Center, trying to catch a clear glimpse of performances by the Black Culture Club (BCC), Filipino Cultural Club (FCC), Taiwanese and Chinese American Association (TCAA), the Vietnamese Student Alliance (VSA), and others. Participants of Multicultural Day had a chance to exhibit their different beliefs, traditions, and customs; attendees watched with nostalgia for their cultural childhoods or admiration of new cultures. 

   Performing first, BCC created a presentation for Black History Month and a hip-hop dance choreographed by Chloe Thomas (12). President Alyssa Reamer (12) explained that the BCC Multicultural Day performance “showcased a multitude of old and new dance moves created within the black community while exemplifying our general culture.”

   Next, VSA showcased a traditional Vietnamese dance, wearing straw hats and Vietnamese cultural clothing called Ao Dai. VSA Vice President Tommy Tran (12) was proud to “embrace the marginalized culture of Vietnam which we don’t see in our everyday life.” He noted, “The goal of the event is to have people become more aware of both Vietnamese culture and our own club!” VSA was restarted this year, so the club is looking forward to welcoming future members.

   TCAA proudly shared a Chinese and Taiwanese fashion show, which President Caitlin Voorhees (11) expressed is “important because just like any culture, Chinese culture has its own unique fashion that has developed over time.” The TCAA Multicultural Day fashion show was a tradition for their club, and all board members agreed to do it again this year.

   With a stunning and memorable traditional dance called Tinikling, FCC showed off their culture with spirit. Their ICC Representative Jasmin Cuaresma (11) shared that Tinikling is a unique dance that helps preserve Filipino culture since the Spanish invasion. In the dance, two partners hold the ends of two sticks parallel and bring them on and off the ground to the beat of the music. With this event, FCC hoped to increase interest in Filipino culture.

   Also included in the show were Spanish, Desi, Korean, and Japanese cultures. They performed dances and exhibited cultural fashion that wowed the crowd. Students of all backgrounds came to watch and support performers at the PAC, celebrating the diversity at West High.