Linfield’s Annual Diversity Week took place from Oct. 15 to Oct. 21 and featured free activities and events hosted by the Linfield Activities Board (LAB), promoting the awareness of diversity and exhibiting different cultures.
On Oct. 15, comedian Myq Kaplan gave a hilarious performance covering topics from homosexuality to sexual jokes.
Chinese-American slam poet Alvin Lau gave a performance about wide-ranged topics including homosexuality, politics, cancer and sports Oct. 16.
Inspirational speaker Marc Elliot talked about the motto, “Live and Let Live,” on Oct. 17 in Ice Auditorium.
Elliot has had Hirschsprung’s disease, which is blockage of the large intestine due to improper muscle movement in the bowel, since birth. He also developed Tourettes syndrome, a neuropsychiatric disorder that causes involuntary motor and vocal tics, when he was nine.
Because of his experiences, he understands the importance of tolerating people’s differences and is now giving inspirational speeches across the country.
Through stories of his own, as well as other people’s life struggles, Elliot taught the audience to see things in a new perspective and how to become more tolerant of differences.
On Oct. 19, Linfield students enjoyed a three-hour treat of custom Henna tattoos painted by the artists of Roving Horse Henna in Riley 201.
Students could choose from a menu of Henna tattoos, which included various styles of Henna tattoo—traditional Indian patterns, graphics of animals or insects, “love” and “peace” in different languages and then specify where they wanted the tattoo to be painted.
On request, the artists would also customize the tattoos. In addition, Roving Horse Henna sprayed colored sparkles of students’ choices on the drying henna, enhancing the beauty of the tattoos.
During this, LAB played a Bollywood blockbuster, “Om Shanti Om,” for students to watch while waiting for their turns or for their tattoos to dry.
The afternoon gave Linfield students a peek into traditional Indian culture as well as modern Bollywood glamour.
LAB held “Diversity Buffet and Band” on Oct. 21 in Riley 201, providing students with a buffet of diverse cuisines around the world.
Each participating student was given two coupons to taste two of the four participating McMinnville restaurants—Yan’s Chinese Restaurant, Los Molcajetes Mexican Restaurant, Geraldi the Italian Eating Place and Thai Country.
Meanwhile, a local mariachi band performed live music that students danced to.
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Cassie Wong/Staff writer
Cassie Wong can be reached at [email protected].
