Student Leaders for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (SLIDE) hosted the annual Multicultural Fair on the Quad on May 21 during lunch. During the event, affinity groups hosted booths to share food and culture with the school community.
Clubs included the Armenian Affinity Group (AAG,) Asian Students in Action (ASiA), Black Leadership Awareness and Culture Club (BLACC), Jewish Club, Latin American Hispanic Student Organization (LAHSO), Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA), South Asian Student Association (SASA) and the Babel World Languages Magazine.
Visual Arts Teacher and Upper School Coordinator of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Reb Limerick said the Multicultural Fair was an opportunity for SLIDE to highlight the various cultures at the school.
“Through this annual event, SLIDE normalizes and celebrates proudly [by] sharing [culture] with peers through food, music, art, performance, games and education, which can lead to a deeper understanding and respect of one another as multi-faceted humans with layered identities,” Limerick said.
MESA leader Dhara Jobrani ’26 said the annual event allowed his club to present positive aspects of Middle East culture amid current tension in the region.
“The fair is especially important to MESA, due to conflict and constant media attention the Middle East gets,” Jobrani said. “By serving sweets, we can use the fair as a reminder of the amazing culture and food the Middle East has despite the turbulent times.”
AAG leader Derek Esrailian ’24 said his club used the fair to spread Armenian culture and history to the student body.
“[The Multicultural Fair] helps us foster a sense of pride and identity among our members while promoting cultural awareness and appreciation among our peers,” Esrailian said. “It’s an excellent opportunity for us to educate others about our traditions and history. Many people were curious about our food and artifacts [that were displayed], and it was rewarding to see their genuine interest and appreciation for our culture.”
SASA leader Riyan Kadribegovic ’25 said she was grateful for the opportunity to share her South Asian culture through the club’s activities.
“I really enjoyed teaching students about South Asian culture and food,” Kadribegovic said. “Answering the same questions over and over again might seem boring, but I get a lot of happiness from teaching others about my culture. Our trivia wheel was a hit, and people tried a lot of food they may not have before, so I would say that this year’s Multicultural Fair was super successful.”
