Multicultural Club members plan to be much more active on campus by increasing the number of events and providing potential members with the ultimate welcome mat: food.

“This year we expect to have more members from different cultures so that our number of events can go up, and we can educate ourselves and the people in the club on other things,” said junior English major Noni Silas.

Though diverse food offerings are the root of the club’s new membership strategy, they have a greater purpose: The serve to teach students about the history and culture of the people behind the food.

Members say events are intended to unite members by inviting them to a seat at the dining table, just like one would do at a family meal,  and communicate about what they do not understand.

Members invite all newcomers to join the conversation and take the chance to understand the truly unique qualities that the campus community has to offer.

“We could brighten the knowledge and diversity on campus beyond just seeing white and black because the campus has so much more to it,” Silas said.

“It’s an honor to be in a club where each member wants to achieve the same goal, which is to spread diversity on campus,” said president and junior government law and national security major Creily Torres.

Silas said the club enables her to feel included.

“I got more involved in the multicultural club because it is comfortable and it allows me to be with people of my skin color. Not to be disrespectful, but everybody else here is not like me, so it is difficult being here sometimes when you know that there are not many that look like me.”

Members say it can be difficult to help students understand issues that  do not affect them personally, but members want to be an inspiring source for information.

Members want students to speak out on difficult topics, including race and ethnicity, so they can break them down and look at them from all points of view.

“Nothing will change if nothing is being said. We have to talk about these things if we do not understand them,” Torres said at the club’s first meeting.

Members are determined to achieve better representation on campus.

“It’s really hard to get our word get a message out there because it’s just us doing it. We don’t really have constant help,” says Silas.

Members say more events, conferences and dances are on tap for this year, and they believe their involvement is  beneficial to their lives, so they want other students to have that same experience.

“The multicultural club means everything to me. I got to meet some of my best friends, mentors and opportunities. It’s the only club on campus that I feel comfortable and interested to engage in,” Torres said.