By: Jaida Dent
On Feb. 19, several of Brooklyn College’s (BC) cultural clubs collided in a night of performances and celebration during “Multicultural Night.” Hosted by the Caribbean Student Union (CSU), the event allowed club leaders and students to represent their cultural identities and experience the diverse communities that exist on campus.
“I was pleased with the outcome of your event! I am very grateful for each club’s dedication in making last Thursday a day to remember,” said Cherish “Cherry” Williams, vice president of CSU.
Each club provided performances that engaged audience members to interact with the cultures that exist on campus, with many providing an underlying message. BC’s Dominican Student Movement (MEDO) delivered a performance centered around the community built in many Dominican salons and highlighted the several forms of Dominican music, including bachata, típico, and dembow.
“Every single detail was thoughtfully planned—from the hair rollers on the cart to the plantains and mangos our fellow performer and friend, Elijah, was “selling” to us on stage,” said Lizmell Echavarria Rodriguez, the president of MEDO.
“All of it was part of our effort to replicate a scene from an ordinary Dominican salon, something deeply familiar in our culture. The salon is more than just a place to get your hair done; it’s where women come together to look their best, debrief about life in Spanish, laugh, and dance to our music.”
The Black Student Union (BSU) delivered a tribute performance to the late “King of Pop”, Michael Jackson. The act was layered with different moments across Jackson’s career, ending with his song, “They Don’t Care About Us,” a protest anthem that has gained deeper meaning since its 1995 release.
“We chose a tribute to Michael Jackson because of his global cultural impact, strong stage presence, and the messages in his music about unity and change,” said BSU President Kelsey Ganthier.
“It meant a lot to represent our organization and culture on stage. It showed our teamwork, creativity, and appreciation for Black music history and influence across cultures.”
The recently refounded club, Supreme Steppers, delivered a ground-shaking step performance that exuded Black excellence. Step was born as an African dance style and transformed into a form of community building by Black Greek Letter Organizations, also known as the Divine Nine.
“We worked super hard 2-3 days out of the week on our routine. We drilled every step one by one. We all pitched ideas and narrowed down on the ones we wanted to keep. But we all wanted to show how important step is to Black culture,” said Allieana Brown, president of Supreme Steppers.
Beyond performing, preparing for the event over the last few months created a deeper bond between the clubs. The Blaze Dance Team delivered two star-studded performances that showcased their strength as a team and individual identities.
“Preparation brought us closer as a team. We worked hard on stamina, stage presence, and synchronization. We gave the 90s segment creative freedom so dancers could show their individuality, while the Blaze Airlines Afro-Caribbean segment focused on strong synchronization and uniformity to represent unity and cultural pride. Every choice was intentional,” said Evelyn Kedelina, president of Blaze.
Having a space to perform and celebrate their cultures was equally impactful for the performers as it was for the audience.
Rodriguez finds that while she is passionate about her Dominican roots, it can be hard to pinpoint that community on campus with a robust student body.
“Dominican culture can sometimes be hard to find on the Brooklyn College campus—it’s not something that’s just visibly present; you really have to look for it,” said Rodriguez. “Our people are here, and there are many of us, but spaces where our culture is centered don’t always exist automatically. Being able to take the stage and create that space, even if just for one night, was incredibly meaningful. It was a moment of visibility, pride, and unity for our community.”
For Williams, a first-generation American in a Trinidadian household, she feels a disconnect from her culture because of her location, but providing a stage for several Caribbean identities to shine has allowed her to tap deeper into her roots.
“There will always be a major part of me dedicated to Trinidad, but not living there definitely impacted how I represent. Showcasing my culture on a platform like this felt like I was paying homage to my family,” said Williams.
With representation as the forefront of the night, Willams is honored to have been apart of a night filled with inclusivity.
“I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to orchestrate a taste of different cultures, from traditional Haitian folklore dance from HASA to Y2K hip-hop performance from BLAZE,” said Williams.
“All of our cultures are here, and we love to share them!”
For more information regarding CSU, BLAZE, HASA, MEDO, BSU, and Supreme Steppers, please follow their respective Instagrams: @brooklyncollege_csu, @blaze_bcdanceteam, @bc.hasa, @bc_medo,@bsu_blackstudentunion, @supreme.step.bc.