Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education issued the following announcement on Dec. 10
Many of us have fond memories of the winter holiday season for its abundance of time spent among friends, family, and food. Randolph-Macon’s Multicultural Programming Board hoped to gift fellow students with one such memory before the winter holiday break during R-MC’s first Culturesgiving on Tuesday, December 7.
The potluck event, hosted in partnership with R-MC’s Office of Multicultural Affairs, centered on a celebration of cuisine from diverse cultures and people. More than a dozen students and staff members gathered in the Dollar Tree Room to dine, trade conversation, and share a bit about their particular backgrounds and traditions.
Sophomore Lauren Bellamy ’24 is one of several members of R-MC’s Multicultural Programming Board who helped organize the event.
“Sometimes we forget that not everyone celebrates the same holidays during this part of the year,” Bellamy said. “We planned Culturesgiving as an opportunity to open ourselves up to different foods and the cultures they represent while celebrating the diversity of the student body.”
Among the dishes present were international foods like tacos and papusas, dumplings, rum cake, and rice bread, as well as jambalaya, which originated in the U.S. While students waited their turn in the buffet line, they could help themselves to a hot cocoa bar and listen to a curated playlist of music from diverse cultures.
Representing R-MC’s Office of International Education were Lauren Devan, Study Abroad Program Coordinator, and Jane Nucup, International Student Services Coordinator. They brought pancit, a Filipino noodle dish, in honor of Nucup’s half-Filipino heritage.
“We are excited to learn more about the students involved with this relatively new organization on campus and share a good meal,” Devan said.
Alicia Elms, Director of Diversity & Multicultural Affairs, observed that the event proved that food crosses all borders and simultaneously illustrates unique facets of every group of people.
“The Multicultural Programming Board has hosted several events to celebrate and honor numerous cultures throughout the semester,” Elms said. “Culturesgiving was a way to bring the different cultural groups on campus together for a celebration. It was wonderful to see students and staff share a space to discuss their culture, taste new dishes, and dance to music from various genres.”
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up