Multicultural Night

Written by: Leena El-Said

Photos by: TAB Photography Club

On May 4th, Blakelock held its first Multicultural Night in over a decade. Colourful traditional clothing lit up the halls as students were welcomed to represent aspects of their culture from all over the world. 

For the first portion of the night, cultural booths prepared by Blakelock students and staff were opened for guests to browse and interact with the booth runners to learn more about their culture. Throughout the halls and into the cafeteria were a wide variety of food and intricate poster boards on display for the community, welcoming all to explore and broaden their cultural horizons.  

The event acted as a fundraiser in support of Blakelock’s Angel Funds, which provides financial support to students in need. Students, families, and friends purchased tickets in exchange for samples of food and beverages from around the world as well as henna designs drawn by various students.

The incredible diversity of the school came to light as students and staff across all grades showed up to support and learn about the diverse cultures within Blakelock. The night also featured the numerous cultural teams, associations, and programs around the school including; the Black Student Union, the South Asian Student Alliance, and the English Language Learners (ESL) program. 

“Multicultural Night was a night of warmth, energy and diversity. Genuinely, you never quite realize how alone it can feel being of a specific culture in the school until you realize that so many cultures have so many similarities, which was really cool to see at this event’, said grade 12 student Ashvira Mangat, who represented India at the event. 

The second portion of the night featured a multicultural showcase, with a fashion show runway and cultural performances displaying unique talents. Supportive loud cheers flooded the gym as models from China, India, Eritrea, Algeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan walked, danced, and posed down a runway in their traditional cultural clothing as music from their respective country filled the gym. Diverse performances including Caribbean and Bollywood dances, Chinese string instrument playing, and songs in different languages were met with excited encouragement as phone flashlights swayed to the music. 

“The support was insane, the crowd never had a dull quiet moment. Watching different cultures perform or show off different aspects of their culture was so beautiful; even though I wasn’t a part of that culture, I could see how everyone in the room from that culture was having such a good time, and that made me have a good time”, enthused Ashvira Mangat.

Multicultural Night was an incredible night of celebration and one that will hopefully remain a tradition for years to come.