Division of Equity and Community Inclusion host a multicultural afternoon in Village C

The Division of Equity and Community Inclusion hosted their very first spring open house on Wednesday afternoon. It was an open house-styled event with a passport game, free snacks and drinks at each stop.

Five organizations collaborated to host the event. The Asian American and Pacific Islander Student Services, the Latinx Student Center and the Black Unity Center collaborated to organize the event.

As music filled the air, students quickly filled in the quad to inquire about the commotion. Approaching  the stalls, students were greeted with a passport allowing them to collect a stamp from each center. When a guest collected all the passport stamps, they were provided a lunch and an entry into a raffle for various prizes. These prizes ranged from themed baskets to microwaves.

“This is for students to get the vibe of the place,” said Director of the Latinx Student Center Emmanuel Padilla. “To find a place to come back to, to make SF State authentically yours.” 

Padilla wanted to emphasize that things don’t have to end with the event and students are more than welcome to return to any of these centers for help or resources.

Computer Science students Aarzu Mohammadali and Nilofar Mohammadali couldn’t deny that the offer of a free lunch was enough to bring them in to check out the event. They found out about the event through the Equal Opportunity Program inside the Student Services building.

After seeing a post on the Latinx Student Center instagram, Computer Engineering student Eddie Abreo decided to go after work to check out the event. 

“I just came to see what it was,” Abreo said. 

When asked if he was excited about the free lunch, he responded, “Oh yeah, definitely. Especially because I just got off of work.”

“During the pandemic, it’s been nothing but these tiny squares,” said Black Unity Center Outreach and Retention Specialist Dalyce Brown. “We wanted to give that welcoming feel and invite them to our space.” 

The Black Unity Center has hosted the Black Unity Mixer every semester to promote networking and building community.