The African Student Union hosted “African Night” on Friday in Walter Hall Rotunda to celebrate Africa’s cultural diversity through food, trivia, music and dance.
Cheyenne Weaver, a senior studying communication sciences and disorders, said she didn’t know what to expect for her first time attending Ohio University’s African Student Union’s “African Night.”
“It’s my first time and I’m pretty excited to try the food and maybe dance, but I don’t really know what’s going to happen,” Weaver said.
By the end of the night, Weaver along with nearly 150 other students, faculty and residents gathered on Walter Hall Rotunda’s temporary dance floor for nonstop dancing to traditional and modern African music until the last hours of the night.
Students, faculty and Athens residents gathered in the rotunda for the African Student Union’s “African Night” to celebrate the diversity of African cultures represented at OU. The night kicked off with an international flag show, showcasing more than 50 different African countries’ flags.
Following the flag show, there were a few singing and dance performances, fashion show and trivia that was hosted by the emcees. At the end, food was served and attendees had the opportunity to dance and learn traditional and modern dances to popular African music.
Saba Zewdu, president of ASU, said her favorite part of the night was watching everything come together and seeing all the attendees celebrate and dance.
“The process was really long. We’ve been planning for it for a couple months now, and everybody has just been working hard,” Zewdu, a second-year graduate student studying international development, said. “I wish we could have recorded from the top (of Walter Hall) because everyone is so engaged and dancing to the African music. It’s amazing.”
Jazzmine Hardges-Garner, a member of ASU, said seeing all the different people was her favorite part of the night.
“Everyone is so accepting to the unique and different cultures,” Hardges-Garner, a sophomore studying communications and public advocacy, said. “I think it’s because Africa is so diverse and unlike people in America, they accept diversity instead of pushing it away.”
“African Night” is dedicated to learning about the different cultures, traditions and history of Africa, Zewdu said, through the emcees mixing trivia and entertainment.
Tajha Laflore, a sophomore studying communication, said one of the best parts of her night was learning different facts about the continent and all its different cultures.
“A lot of people think Africa is just one,” Laflore said. “But it’s East, South, West, North. A lot of different regions, a lot of different foods and a lot of different cultures. I’m happy I got to learn so much and meet so many people.”
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