FEATURES

The Villager, March 8, 2010

Celebrate Multiculturalism
Stevenson Universitys Multicultural Week, March 8 - 11

by Alicia Hawley, Oyinade Koyi, and Inderdeep Singh

Villager staff writers

Junior Kelly Burns and her family give holidays a whole

different meaning.
Burns family traditions during the holiday season are a huge
part of her culture. From the Thanksgiving poker game to Christmas
breakfast, the Burns know all about family bonding. I love the holiday
spirit! says Kelly. It is the perfect time to get the family together for
some good, old fun.
Each Christmas Eve, the Burns get together to string popcorn
and decorate the Christmas tree. Its a bonding experience, says Kelly.
Thats what holidays are all about at the Burns residence.
While Kelly doesnt follow any specific religion, her culture revolves around the traditions and customs of her family.

Junior Julie Mastroianni shows her Italian pride by

joining her whole family each year to jar tomatoes for homemade spaghetti sauce. The tradition, called Broccostella, began in a small town in
Italy and continues to bring the family together, right here in Maryland.
Julie grew up in an Italian family, surrounded by the lively culture. From the bold tastes of Italy right at home, to the air-kissing customs, each day Julie experiences the beauty of Italian life.
Her Italian heritage has made her the person she is today.
Because of my heritage, I am a family oriented person, says Julie. I
enjoy spending time with them and learning more about Italian life.

Junior Wengelawit Wenny Moges origins are traced to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She describes one of the countrys famous traditions, the coffee ceremony. Dressed in traditional Ethiopian attire, the lady of the house serves coffee in tiny china cups to her
visitors as a sign of friendship and respect. The room is filled with the smell of coffee, and everyone gathers around to relax and discuss
their day.
To celebrate her religion, Orthodox Christianity, Wenny and her family celebrate both Christmas and Easter, fasting before each holiday is celebrated.
Ethiopians take pride in their culture and religion, says Wenny, and put a strong focus on respect and value of their elders.

Sophomore Angie Liriano was born in the United States but her parents are from the Dominican Republic. Angie speaks
about her native people as being full of spirit, colorful expression and life. This is demonstrated by their love of dance, expecially the salsa,
bachata, reggaeton, and their national dance called the meringue.
Recalling other normalities of life in the Dominican Republic, Angie adds that baseball, their national sport, is an obsession for
most Dominicans.
A typical meal consists of rice, a meat, such as chicken, beef or pork, and beans, accompanied by fried plantains and a salad.

Sophomore Josephine Ioime is green with passion.

Josephine, vice president of the universitys environmental club, is
committed to making other students aware of their impact on the
planet and things they can do to help.
Josephine became a vegetarian after taking part in a fast from
meat and poultry in high school. When she learned about the benefits
the change had on her body and the earth, she stuck with it.
When it comes to helping the environment, Josephine recycles
as much as she possibly can, gardens, and shares her knowledge with
those she meets. On the topic, she says, Every small step you take to
making the world better, your community better, and yourself better, is
one step further to happiness. Thats everyones goal, isnt it?

Junior Inderdeep Singh practices the religion of Sikhism.

Sikhism is described as the belief in one God with many names. As part
of this cultures traditions, arranged marriage is a typical practice from
which Inderdeep will not be excluded.
She also strictly speaks her first language, Punjabi, with her parents. As a member of a religion that is not well understood by many
others, Inderdeep believes that her experiences within the culture
have helped to make her a more culturally sensitive and open-minded
individual.
Living a multi-cultural life has been more a gift than a burden,
says Inderdeep.