On April 18th, students and families gathered at Preuss for the Multicultural Festival, where cultural performances and the aromas of international cuisines filled the Preuss Amphitheater from 10:00 to 12:00 PM.
Several clubs performed cultural dances, including Black Student Union, Asian Pacific Islander Association, and La Gloria Latina. The festival also included cuisines from Ethiopia, Somalia, Mexico, Vietnam, and more. Black Student Union and the Asian Pacific Islander Association are currently preparing for their upcoming performances for Airband on May 1st, making the festival an opportunity for them to show their progress.
Black Student Union performed a Habesha dance, which combines Ethiopian and Eritrean dances. Yenatfanta Hailemariam (‘26) worked alongside other BSU board members to orchestrate the choreography.
“We wanted to create something that really represents our culture and bring energy to the stage,” expressed Hailemariam (‘26). “It’s a chance to experience different cultures in a fun and welcoming environment.”
Kaelynn Wang (‘26), involved in both APIA and BSU performances, honored both her Chinese and Eritrean heritage at the Multicultural Festival for her fourth year at Preuss.
“Being a part of both dances is special to me because I get to represent both sides of who I am,” said Wang(‘26). “The festival gives people the opportunity to see how cultures can come together and be celebrated in one space.”
The Multicultural festival highlights the diversity in Preuss’s community and gives students the platform to celebrate their culture through performances and food.
“I think events like this help people understand each other better,” Wang also expressed. “When you see the dances, hear the music, and try out new foods, it makes you truly appreciate different cultures.”
By experiencing new foods, dances, and traditions, attendees explored cultures beyond their own. Families offered dishes such as Shiro, a creamy chickpea stew offered with traditional injera, as well as Sambusa, which is stuffed with ground beef, onions, and leek. The Multicultural Festival is also a part of the many extra credit opportunities offered to the students in high school-level Spanish classes.
“There’s a lot of work behind each performance, so it’s nice to finally see everything come together after all the rehearsals,” said Wang(‘26)
