CultureFest celebrates diversity on campus

At IU, it’s all about celebrating who you are.

To encourage students to celebrate the similarities and differences of others, the University will be holding its ninth annual CultureFest during Welcome Week.
“CultureFest is a little bit of who we are at IU and celebrating the people that come here,” said Melanie Payne, associate director of orientation programs and Welcome Week. “(It is) the flavor of diversity, of multiculturalism, of sharing our differences, of celebrating our similarities and exploring who comes to Indiana University.”

But CultureFest is not just about celebrating different cultures; it’s also about sharing different religious, sexual and ethnic experiences, and the different cities students come from.

Starting in the IU Auditorium, incoming freshmen will have the opportunity to learn about the history of IU through a video and learn about other students – from students in Bloomington to students from other countries.

The history will be followed by an outdoor multicultural festival, which will feature music and food from different cultures, Payne said.

“It’s challenging the freshman class to look beyond their normal boundaries,” she said.
Payne said CultureFest is special because it’s anchored by IU’s culture and support centers and not by every student organization
on campus.

And even after almost 35 years on campus, the Latino Cultural Center, commonly known as La Casa, is still looking for ways to get students acclimated to the University.

Lillian Casillas, director of La Casa, said the goal of La Casa is to be involved with the University and make sure the Latino community is being heard. “IU is a wonderful school, but it’s also a big school,” she said. “We provide an opportunity to personalize the college experience.”

And La Casa is not just for the Latino community, Casillas said.
The organization is on campus for the entire IU community, to help teach them more about Latino culture.

Taking advantage of CultureFest, representatives from La Casa will be present during the Welcome Week events and provide students with activities, information and food.
The Asian Culture Center, an organization that has been on campus for almost 10 years, will also be at CultureFest. During the event, the Asian Culture Center will have a booth with informational materials, food and games for students, said Melanie Castillo-Cullather, director of the Asian Culture Center, in an e-mail.

For students who are interested in being a part of the Asian Culture Center, Castillo-Cullather said there will be a reception in September to welcome new and returning students. Encouragement is exactly what the students need, Payne said. She added that CultureFest and the rest of Welcome Week is just part of the bigger picture of becoming a Hoosier.

CultureFest will kick off at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28.

“The message of CultureFest is pretty simple,” Payne said. “Share who you are – learn about other people.”