On Wednesday, April 10, the Multicultural Center and Black Affairs Association presented their annual Unity Fest. This festival was centered around different cultures and the diversity among student life and organizations.

“The purpose is to bring in all the diverse groups of students and members of the campus to express their cultural ideas through cultural attire, music, dance and even food as well,” stated Nathnael Tadesse, mentoring coordinator of the Multicultural Center.

Tadesse, alongside students and organizations, helped host this event. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., everyone was welcome to come and experience the different cultures and foods that were presented. Groups such as the Asian American Student Association, the ETSU Gospel, the South Asian Student Organization and many more.

Photo of the Japanese Cultural Society booth at the 2024 Unity Fest. (Dora Mercado/East Tennessean)

Food in Appalachia was a booth that displayed different types of Appalachian food for people to try. The food assortment consisted of fried green tomatoes, spoon bread, shoofly pie and more that was brought up in Appalachian culture. Tracey Mitchell, the catering manager at ETSU, was over the table and shared the importance of this table to her and other students.

“The importance of the table is to show our current student body what it was like for the people in Appalachian Mountains during the Great Depression and when times were hard, along with what they had to do to put a meal on the table,” stated Mitchell.

Emily Baker, the vice president of the Asian American Student Association, spoke about the different opportunities and events that the AASA has to offer for students. She mentions that it is open to all students and its impact on her.

Photo of a student receiving a henna tattoo at the Unity Fest. (Dora Mercado/East Tennessean)

“I want to educate and help people explore new cultures. I know there are a lot of different Asian orientations, but we are very broad and welcome all ETSU students, regardless of race,” said Baker.

Tadesse says that the overall importance is to get students connected and knowledgeable about the different groups and cultures on campus, which brings everyone together. Unity Fest happens every year so be sure to check it out and explore the various cultures.

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