Colgate University’s Africana, Latin, Asian and Native American (ALANA) Cultural Center welcomed students back to campus with its annual ALANAPalooza event. The evening of Sept. 4 consisted of performances, community building and introductions to the many opportunities the center offers.
Despite being moved indoors due to the rain, the event drew in a large crowd of students. The space was filled with music, food and conversation. Campus offices were also present to connect with students. Representatives from the Office of Sustainability, the Office of Alumni Engagement, the Office of Diversity and Equity, Health and Wellness, Career Services, Campus Security, COVE, the Office of the Chaplains and many more partners gave out goods, sweets and trinkets.
Thought Into Action ran a table where students played an online game and were entered into a raffle for prizes. COVE gave out freshly popped popcorn for students to enjoy with their barbecue. The Deans of the College Division and the Office of Equity and Diversity sponsored a larger raffle for everyone who came, where students could win prizes like bags and Colgate merchandise.
When asked what the goal of ALANAPalooza is Associate Director of ALANA Cultural Center Darline Wattles gave a thoughtful response.
“ALANA is a place of connection and community,” Wattles said. “We work to embrace the lives of our students, and today we accomplished this by introducing them to resources that will be crucial throughout their entire time at Colgate.”
During the event, ALANA student ambassadors shared information about ways to get involved with the center, such as the social justice peer educator role, a new opportunity where those involved organize and lead conversations on various social justice topics for all of campus. ALANA is currently welcoming students to obtain their intergroup dialogue certification and become interns to lead meaningful cross-cultural campus conversations.
Junior Kameil Lewis shared her passion for the ALANA community.
“I love ALANA,” Lewis said. “It is such a welcoming and calm space for students who are looking for a diverse community. When I joined ALANA my freshman year, I was introduced to genuinely kind and interested students who came from a wide range of backgrounds. This is now my third year working here and I look forward to another year of making new bonds.”
Performances throughout the evening showcased Colgate talent, including poetry in Spanish, singing from junior Reem Numan and a high-energy dance number by Latin American Dance Club. Deion Patterson, director of the Sojourners Gospel Choir, performed a gospel rendition of several Bruno Mars’ singles.
Senior Ashley Hendrata commented on the social nature of the event.
“This is seriously so fun,” Hendrata said. “I saw so many of my friends and picked up a ton of goodies. I even got a potted plant.”
ALANA has several events upcoming on the events calendar, such as the ALANA Takeover on Sept. 13 at 7:00 p.m. and the multi-cultural fashion show on Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. To find out more about the events hosted at ALANA, students can check out their newsletter.
