Shippensburg University’s African Student Association (ASA) hosted A Taste of Africa at Gilbert Hall on Thursday, Sept. 18.
The evening was full of afro-inspired food and music, bringing students together to celebrate heritage and build community.
At the event, games ranged from “Guess the Song” competitions to Kahoot challenges on African flags. Once games were over and prizes were handed out, everyone flooded the buffet line for a home-cooked dishes.
ASA members brought home-cooked shrimp, wings, plantains, puff puffs and jollof rice. Jollof rice is a fiery West-African dish with tomatoes, hot sauce, onions, pork and arrangement of spices that “dabble in our culture,” said ASA Parliamentarian Nani Ramara.
The evening was more than food and music. These gatherings foster cultural pride and create affirming spaces for students of color at predominantly white institutions like Shippensburg University.
“It makes sure no student feels alone and our culture is more seen,” said ASA President Mide Shoymei, who also celebrated his birthday during the event.
While the “food might be what brings people in, the cultural pride, respect, and community is what brings them back, “ said ASA Secretary John Idan.
ASA not only honors African culture, but it challenges the long history of silencing and invisibility that students of color face in higher education that remains today.
For ASA, the event was more than welcome: it was a declaration. African voices, traditions and community belong at Shippensburg University.
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