Hofstra University Celebrates Diversity With Student-Run “Culture Club” at HUHC
From distinct cultures and ethnic backgrounds, little did Henna Chaudhry (Majoring in Neuroscience and Chemistry, ‘24) and Magdalena Todorinova (Majoring in Biochemistry, ‘24) know that their commonality in sharing each other’s culture would lead to an influential decision in running a Culture Club at Hofstra University campus.
Though hesitant at first, the duo pondered whether such an idea would lead to positive or potentially negative reactions. With growing political unrest and polarization of attitudes towards ethnic minorities, the two feared that in attempting to garner a safe space for students of various cultural backgrounds, they would instead face misconceptions, stereotypes, and prejudice of cultures in doing so.
Yet in fear did they find courage. As Todorinova optimistically shares,
“I realized I enjoy sharing stuff from my culture with people who don’t know a lot about it or may have some misconceptions. And talking about it to people outside of my country [Bulgaria] made me feel even more connected to the traditions, music, beliefs, and so on. So I thought that maybe there are other people who would enjoy having conversations about and exploring their culture, or religion with people outside of it. And I know there are clubs that focus on a community of people who share the same beliefs, and I think that’s great. But at the same time, I wouldn’t be able to find a large enough community of my own culture at Hofstra, so I thought it would be fun to learn about other people’s cultures as well!”
No different than Todorinova, Chaudhry is hopeful that their stance in creating a safe space for students would allow students to celebrate acceptance and diversity- despite the significant dismantling of social interactions brought upon the COVID-19 Pandemic and political unrest. She emphasizes that,
“A meshing of different cultures is crucial in educating and building positive attitudes of different cultures and religions. We want to create an environment where our peers can feel accepted and share their culture personas with an engaged audience. By creating games or having fun conversations, we hope that learning different cultures becomes an entertaining yet insightful process!”
With this consensus, the duo was eager to present their idea to Hofstra University Honors College Student Co-Curricular Advisory Board, where they are currently active members. Upon making their idea into a reality, the duo expressed utmost gratitude for the great wave of support and active engagement they’ve received since their very first meeting.
To the duo’s surprise, each Friday evening began to consist of a various, growing number of students to participate in cultural events. Whether it's creating an Easter Egg hunt on campus or building Bulgarian Martenitsi Bracelets to welcome spring, the two are excited to create more events that celebrate cultural diversity.
In regards to the club’s active engagement, a participating member of the club, Shayna Trachten ’23, describes the Culture Club as a great opportunity for her to socialize with friends, meet new people, and learn about other people’s culture. Majoring in Piano Performance, Trachten expresses that her passion for music and culture helps her find a safe space in sharing her talents while also appreciating her ethnic background.
With the positive feedback and support of faculty and peers of HUHC, the two hope to leave a lasting impression regarding diversity on campus.
Eager to the future outlook of their club, the duo hopes to share their message to Hofstra University:
We hope our club makes a few more people interested to learn even just little things about other cultures or simply new things that they didn’t know about their own. Learning a few words in a different language, or enjoying a foreign movie, or watching dance from around the world can always be fun and at the same time, helps us understand a little bit more about the different backgrounds we come from. I think that would be a small step towards creating a more inclusive environment in which we get interested about the diverse cultures that make up the Hofstra community!
Occurring every Friday evening from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Zoom, join the Culture Club to learn how you can celebrate and learn the diverse cultures that make up the Hofstra University’s student body!
So long Hofstra World Changers!
