For the third consecutive year, Student Life is partnering with multicultural clubs on campus to bring students a week of festivities dedicated to multicultural recognition.
Roar Days runs April 8 through April 12 with six free events for students to attend. Most events will offer food and beverages, and Student Life will be handing out Roar Days T-shirts at all events.
According to Student Engagement Coordinator Becca Cherpak, Roar Days offers an opportunity for students to familiarize themselves with multicultural clubs on campus and the events they lead.
“[Roar Days] started as a week of energizing activities, so it was more reminiscent of Disorientation Week,” she said. “We noticed about three years ago that all of the events that were being hosted were primarily from our multicultural and identity-based organizations.” Since then, Student Life has made it their goal to focus on highlighting those organizations.
Cherpak said students can expect Roar Days to be “a great way to have that introduction to culture in a fun way rather than a lecture or seminar setting.”
Digital Dragwave Annual Drag Show with Mosaic
Mosaic is kicking off Roar Days with its annual Digital Dragwave Drag Show. “This is more than just a drag performance,” Mosaic coordinator Rafael Norwood said. “This is … a community gathering around art, performance, resources.”
The Drag Show will feature student and professional drag performers, as well as community speakers. Eight community partner organizations, such as Inside Out Youth Services and PRISM Community Collective, will be in attendance to provide resources.
Contrary to many drag performances in the community, the UCCS drag show is open to all ages, which is one of the benefits of having a performance on campus, according to Norwood.
“It’s an inclusive and safe space for everyone to come and have fun together, to meet new people,” Norwood said. “It provides that opportunity and access for students to enter into a space they may otherwise be slightly uncomfortable in or don’t know what to expect.”
The event will be held on April 8 in Berger Hall. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show is scheduled to run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. A sensory space will be available outside of Berger Hall for students to catch a break from the energy if needed. Mocktails and candies will be served to attendees.
Lunch on Us with Latinx Student Union
LSU will be hosting a lunch and bingo event Wednesday. Catering will be provided by local Latin fusion restaurant Piglatin Cocina.
During the lunch, LSU will be playing Lotería with attendees, a Mexican board game similar to bingo. “[Lotería] is a language-learning game,” LSU President and junior English major Adara Ceja Albarran said. “Kids play it a lot when they’re first learning … [The cards] have the name of all the different [pictures] in Spanish.”
LSU had a special UCCS-specific Lotería deck made for Roar Days with both Spanish and English translations. Students can play for prizes, such as toys and Mexican candies.
“We are committed to exposing more of the Latino culture to the campus and showcasing all the different aspects and traditions that are so alive and rich in our culture,” Ceja Albarran said. “We want to do that by inviting people to participate in these old traditions.”
Lunch on Us will be in the Student Life Lounge from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 9.
Fusion with Asian Pacific Islander Student Union
On Thursday, APISU will host its annual Fusion event. “Fusion is an opportunity for not only UCCS students but for members of the Colorado Springs community to come to campus and celebrate Asian Pacific Islander culture,” APISU President and senior computer science major Avalee Cruz said.
Fusion brings Filipino stick fighters and dancers, line dancers, Taiko drummers and professor lectures together to show “what Asian culture is like in America and how [American culture] affects API culture,” Cruz said. She reflected on how growing up in Hawaii informed her sense of how differently Colorado understands API traditions.
“Once you come to a community like Colorado Springs where there’s a much smaller API community, it’s much harder to connect with other people from your background,” Cruz said. “[Fusion] is a good way to not only introduce people to more aspects of API culture, but also for those of the background to be reunited to their heritage.”
Boba, islander barbecue and mochi donuts will be offered at the event. Fusion will be held on April 10 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“The Royal Reminder:” Black Student Union’s Sixth Annual Black Excellence Gala
BSU will start the weekend with their sixth annual Black Excellence Gala. BSU President Marissa Blackmon, a senior biology major, said, “It’s a night for accomplishment, recognizing students on campus, so [students] can come expecting to feel indulged in that, indulged in seeing what other students on campus have accomplished, maybe feel a little inspiration, motivation.”
Students are nominated for awards by community leaders and other students. On the event RSVP, students will be asked if they would like to nominate one of their peers for an award and why they feel their peer deserves that award.
“Anyone can be nominated, but [the gala] is specifically to create a space, especially for Black students on campus, to feel recognized for their accomplishments and successes,” Blackmon said. “That’s why we’ve done these galas, to take the time to recognize each and every one of us, especially in a world where we might not get recognized for things.”
The gala will be a formal event, and food will be provided. It will be hosted on April 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Holi Party with Indian Student Union
Saturday morning, ISU will host its colorful Holi celebration. “Holi is all about celebrating joy, love and new beginnings. It’s a time to come together, forget past differences and have fun with friends and family,” Shivani Sharma, ISU President and third-year electrical and computer engineering PhD student, said via email. “With colors flying, music playing and laughter filling the air, it’s a beautiful reminder of the triumph of good over evil and the spirit of togetherness.”
Holi will feature a color powder celebration, as well as competitions for Henna and Rangoli (an Indian powder-based art form). Prizes will include Indian Temple jewelry and skincare kits.
“Expect an explosion of color, culture and creativity as we bring you an authentic and exciting experience,” Sharma said. “It’s going to be a lively, colorful and absolutely thrilling celebration you won’t want to miss!”
Holi will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 12 in Berger Hall and on the West Lawn. Indian food and sweets will be provided.
Journey to Africa with African Student Association
ASA closes the week with its annual Journey to Africa performance event. “[Students] can expect vibrant, lively performances from different countries across Africa,” ASA President Emmanuella Appiah, a junior business information systems major, said. Dances will showcase nine African and Afro-diasporic nations, and there will be a fashion show of traditional African clothing.
African students and ASA members will perform solo and group dances representing both traditional and contemporary styles. “It’s a chance for them to express themselves and show off their talents,” Appiah said.
“The goal of Journey to Africa is to highlight the different African cultures we have here at UCCS,” Appiah said. “It’s a chance for them to make sure that their culture is appreciated, highlighted and educate others on the many different cultures we have on campus because we do have a lot of diversity, and I think it is important for us to come together and celebrate one another.”
Journey to Africa will bring in Ghanaian and Jamaican catering from local restaurants. The performance will run from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Berger Hall.
A Roar Days poster. Photo by Lillian Davis.