ShanWu, a dance group affiliated with the Cal Poly Chinese Student Association, performed as part of the annual CultureFest in October. Each fall, CultureFest brings together Cal Poly’s cultural student clubs to celebrate the many different identities that make up the university community. This year’s event featured a performance by the student rock band 9Hearts; dances from dozens of groups including Imagen y Ballet Folklorico, Hui O Hawaii and the Lion Dance Team; and food booths offering cuisines from around the world, including Korean steamed buns, Jamaican sorrel punch and Navajo fry bread.
“I have loved this event ever since I started as a student here,” said Caprial Khoe, the staff coordinator of Cal Poly’s Multicultural Center, which hosts CultureFest. “Often students of color might step into a classroom and see that they’re the only one in the room. We want to really showcase that there are communities of color here, and that there is a very large community that they can be a part of where their cultures are celebrated, where traditions from their homes and their families are celebrated and practiced.”
