The United Students Cultures Club held its inaugural “Passports to Flavors” diversity dinner in the West High Cafeteria April 10 from 6-7:30 p.m. to celebrate multiculturalism. The cafeteria was decorated with flags and fairy lights, and it carried a distinct aroma of traditional dishes from around the world, including from Albania, Turkey, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Palestine and Algeria. Students and community members gathered around to converse over these meals while gaining a deeper understanding of various ethnic backgrounds.
USCC is a new club at West with roughly 100 enrolled members coming from diverse cultures, with a goal of bringing students together to ensure each individual feels represented in their community. Their team consists of President and Founder Noor Sharif ’26, Social Media Coordinator Abeer Guama ’26, and Executive Board Members Fortunate Mindja ’27, Rayan Saad ’27, Sebnati Jemal ’27, Yassin Sharif ’28, Dylan Ashby ’28, Nirvan Kandel ’28, Moaid Mursal ’27 and Mohamed Ahmed ’27.
Sharif aspired to host this event to create a sense of togetherness through traditional food and music. Sharif has a deep internal connection with her Sudanese culture.
“With everything going on in Sudan right now, it’s just very sad, and I feel like representing our country and lifting up that joy is what makes me very happy,” Sharif said. “Everybody else should love their culture, because everything is so unique and beautiful, and that is what bonds us together.”
Not only did students from West attend, but participants from other schools did as well. Noorelaian Eltayeb ’26, a student at Liberty High, was proud to represent Sudan. Similar to Sharif, Eltayeb believes that her culture is an integral part of her identity.
“I feel like [my culture] is the one part I can rely on anytime I feel a little bit shaky about anything,” Eltayeb said. “With a lot of things happening in the world right now, especially with wars, you get sucked into how countries are going against each other instead of thinking about the culture and history behind it. [Cultural diversity] helps you become more in tune with yourself, other people and embrace the world around you.”
Shahd Suleiman ’26 represented Palestine at the event. She volunteered to serve food, and while doing so, it touched her heart to see how many people showed up to the dinner to support a cause she cared just as greatly about. She is proud she can represent Palestinians at the dinner.
“[My culture] represents my family, my heritage and everything about myself,” Suleiman said. “Oftentimes, being a Palestinian, you’re misunderstood or judged with prejudice. I think having this event is an opportunity to spread awareness, spread our culture and really connect with what people’s stereotypes are about us. Allowing for spaces with a lot of cultural diversity gives us time to connect with other people and learn the truth about their cultures.”
