By Kayla Walker
In order to encourage the unity of different cultures and backgrounds at the University, the Student Government Association (SGA) sponsored the first Cultural Diversity Day on Wednesday.
“The purpose of this day is to bring together the different cultures and backgrounds that are all around us but that we might not recognize,” Heather Gibbons, SGA President, said.
Organizations such as the South Asian Students Association, Hofstra’s Organization of Latin Americans, African People’s Association, Imani, the African Caribbean Society and the Cultural Italian American Organization were stationed at booths around the mail stage.
The event included musical and dance performances, a fashion show highlighting cultural dress and an international food tasting.
Lackmann Dining Services prepared Asian chicken pot stickers, fried ravioli, pitas dipped in hummus from the Middle East, and Jamaican patties from North and South America.
“I really enjoyed the different foods, especially the deserts,” freshman Amanda Soldano, said. “I would really like to see more events just like this.”
“I wanted the diversity of the campus to be represented in an event,” Sharissa Khan, a member of SGA and organizer of the event, said. “I wanted the campus to unite and celebrate all of the different ethnicities, religions, cultures and backgrounds.”
Senior psychology major Alethea Best, who attended the event on behalf of the African Caribbean Society, explained why the organization decided to participate.
“We believe in the diversity represented by [the University] and we wanted students to be exposed to the different cultures around them by allowing them to participate in these activities,” she said.

University students model traditional clothings from other cultures as part of SGA´s Cultural Diversity Day. (Elizabeth Pierdominici/The Chronicle)

Students learn about different cultures and backgrounds through music and dance performances during Cultural Diversity Day.