WHAT IS CULTURALFEST?
CulturalFest is an annual event put on by the Foundation of International Understanding Through Students, a nonprofit on-campus organization that aims to promote international awareness and cross-cultural understanding. CulturalFest welcomes thousands of globally-minded citizens to the University of Washington and provides an environment for cultural exploration and learning; it strives to connect students and community members of all backgrounds and to celebrate the diversity that we are so lucky to have at the UW and the local area. CulturalFest is a two-day event, consisting of the Booth Exposition and followed by the Performance Showcase. The Booth Exposition takes place in the HUB and features an opportunity to travel the world in one day, bouncing from booth to booth and learning about the different facets of the various represented countries. The Performance Showcase occurs in Meany Hall and features an assortment of dance and song from a number of regions. Though borders may separate us physically from each other, no border can separate the international friendships that are made through CulturalFest.
As Co-Chair of the CulturalFest Performance Committee, I was provided the opportunity to work directly with these great performers and learn about their cultures. The work I have done with CulturalFest has fostered my growth in a number of leadership capacities.
Below is a video of UW Awaaz, a South Asian fusion A Capella group, performing in last year's CulturalFest.
CulturalFest is an annual event put on by the Foundation of International Understanding Through Students, a nonprofit on-campus organization that aims to promote international awareness and cross-cultural understanding. CulturalFest welcomes thousands of globally-minded citizens to the University of Washington and provides an environment for cultural exploration and learning; it strives to connect students and community members of all backgrounds and to celebrate the diversity that we are so lucky to have at the UW and the local area. CulturalFest is a two-day event, consisting of the Booth Exposition and followed by the Performance Showcase. The Booth Exposition takes place in the HUB and features an opportunity to travel the world in one day, bouncing from booth to booth and learning about the different facets of the various represented countries. The Performance Showcase occurs in Meany Hall and features an assortment of dance and song from a number of regions. Though borders may separate us physically from each other, no border can separate the international friendships that are made through CulturalFest.
As Co-Chair of the CulturalFest Performance Committee, I was provided the opportunity to work directly with these great performers and learn about their cultures. The work I have done with CulturalFest has fostered my growth in a number of leadership capacities.
Below is a video of UW Awaaz, a South Asian fusion A Capella group, performing in last year's CulturalFest.
CulturalFest Performance Commitee 2014
VALUES AND SEEKS OUT THE INCLUSION OF DIVERSE PEOPLE, PERSPECTIVES, AND IDEAS
To the left here is a picture of the wonderful committee with which I had the pleasure of working with. As members of the Performance Committee, we had the responsibility of recruiting, auditioning, and selecting the performers for the showcase. With over thirty talented auditioning groups, it was painstakingly difficult to narrow the field down to twelve groups, especially when all are so deserving. As you can see from the picture, our committee was quite diverse, and having their opinions, perspectives, and ideas on things was invaluable. What was amazing about our committee was that we were all open and supportive of each other; we valued everyone's thoughts and took them all into account when making the final decision. Through this selection process, I have come to realize that it is actually beneficial to have members on a team that you may not necessarily agree with. It certainly taught me to approach things from a variety of angles and viewpoints, which you can only benefit from.
To the left here is a picture of the wonderful committee with which I had the pleasure of working with. As members of the Performance Committee, we had the responsibility of recruiting, auditioning, and selecting the performers for the showcase. With over thirty talented auditioning groups, it was painstakingly difficult to narrow the field down to twelve groups, especially when all are so deserving. As you can see from the picture, our committee was quite diverse, and having their opinions, perspectives, and ideas on things was invaluable. What was amazing about our committee was that we were all open and supportive of each other; we valued everyone's thoughts and took them all into account when making the final decision. Through this selection process, I have come to realize that it is actually beneficial to have members on a team that you may not necessarily agree with. It certainly taught me to approach things from a variety of angles and viewpoints, which you can only benefit from.
Taiko Kai and Kaze Taiko Collaboration
COMMITTED TO THE EQUITY OF ALL PEOPLE AND QUEST FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
One of the things I love most about CulturalFest is that it is all-inclusive. There are a number of shows and events around campus that feature a specific region or country, but CulturalFest is one of the very few, if not the only one, that allows the audience to experience a variety of cultures in one sitting. Being able to sit down and enjoy the similarities between dances and songs from a variety of regions, as opposed to the differences, and watching members of performing groups support one another in the green room are some of the most rewarding things about CulturalFest. The message of equity and unity stems further than just the performances though. It can be seen in the spirit of the audience; students and community members of different backgrounds all coming together to learn about each other. Though we are progressing towards social justice, we still live in a time where not everyone has the same opportunities for whatever reason. If because of CulturalFest, one individual has an opportunity they did not have before, then we are one step closer to our goal.
One of the things I love most about CulturalFest is that it is all-inclusive. There are a number of shows and events around campus that feature a specific region or country, but CulturalFest is one of the very few, if not the only one, that allows the audience to experience a variety of cultures in one sitting. Being able to sit down and enjoy the similarities between dances and songs from a variety of regions, as opposed to the differences, and watching members of performing groups support one another in the green room are some of the most rewarding things about CulturalFest. The message of equity and unity stems further than just the performances though. It can be seen in the spirit of the audience; students and community members of different backgrounds all coming together to learn about each other. Though we are progressing towards social justice, we still live in a time where not everyone has the same opportunities for whatever reason. If because of CulturalFest, one individual has an opportunity they did not have before, then we are one step closer to our goal.
A few CulturalFest 2013 committee members
ABLE TO IMPLEMENT AND EXECUTE IDEAS IN ORDER TO ACTUALIZE EVENTS
CulturalFest is a huge event that gets bigger and bigger each year, drawing nearly a thousand members this past year. It requires a large amount of planning, separated among three committees: the Performance, Booth, and Marketing committees. After outlining plans for several months, it's truly amazing how synchronously the three committees and everyone else involved can come together in those two days of CulturalFest and create such a successful event. What I've learned from co-chairing the Performance Committee, is that it's much easier to implement and execute ideas when your members are passionate, excited, and proactive in their work. I was lucky to have a committee that was so enthusiastic about ensuring the success of CulturalFest and though we were asking a lot, such as posting fliers all over campus and making class announcements, our members followed through. Though the work was overwhelming for me at times, I always tried to maintain an upbeat and energetic attitude that would hopefully reflect on the rest of my committee members. As a leader in any regard, it's essential to keep a positive attitude as this will rub off on those around you. It's easy to say you'll do something, but to actually do it is something else.
CulturalFest is a huge event that gets bigger and bigger each year, drawing nearly a thousand members this past year. It requires a large amount of planning, separated among three committees: the Performance, Booth, and Marketing committees. After outlining plans for several months, it's truly amazing how synchronously the three committees and everyone else involved can come together in those two days of CulturalFest and create such a successful event. What I've learned from co-chairing the Performance Committee, is that it's much easier to implement and execute ideas when your members are passionate, excited, and proactive in their work. I was lucky to have a committee that was so enthusiastic about ensuring the success of CulturalFest and though we were asking a lot, such as posting fliers all over campus and making class announcements, our members followed through. Though the work was overwhelming for me at times, I always tried to maintain an upbeat and energetic attitude that would hopefully reflect on the rest of my committee members. As a leader in any regard, it's essential to keep a positive attitude as this will rub off on those around you. It's easy to say you'll do something, but to actually do it is something else.