The Multiracial Student Union (MRSU) presented its first-ever Cultural Gala Thursday to celebrate the diversity of the Twin Cities campus.
The Gala featured cultural performances including dancing, spoken word, music and formal ethnic wear. The event had over 100 attendees and featured catered food from Dinkytown restaurant, Wally’s Falafel and Hummus.
Gala performers included creative community space Cinema UMN, University student music group Sentimental Sounds, Robbinsdale Armstrong high school dance group African Empire, student group MALCS and rapper Priest Jones.
The event also featured round tables of other ethnic groups around campus to share their cultures with the campus.
MRSU President Gabrielle Denniston said the driving factor for planning the Gala was to ensure there is a space for people who come from diverse backgrounds like her.
“It’s for people to not have to go through the struggles I went through to create something like this,” Denniston said. “People should be able to have a space where they can have growing, have food, meet new people and be able to share what they’re also passionate about.”
Denniston said the event’s overall goal was to show the racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Twin Cities community.
“We had quite a few different groups around the U representing different cultures, different ethnicities and different aspects that are important to their own identity,” Denniston said. “What we really overall wanted to have was something big for once.”
Denniston founded MRSU in October 2023. She said what truly matters is making a lasting connection with the community.
MRSU Vice President Elliot Breazile said the performances at the event were “stunning.”
“I felt just stunned and I’m running back and forth trying to manage other people,” Breazile said. “I’m just like watching, and I can’t stop watching.”
African Empire dancers Bintou Camara, Kenniee Jarpue and Manaseh Kpolar said they were honored to have been a part of the first Gala and were excited to share their culture.
“I just think it’s really good to spread your culture around for the University,” Kpolar said. “Doing a gala is just one of the best ways to show culture.”
Jarpue said she felt very accomplished, happy and relieved after she performed.
“Once you’re on stage, this is a wonderful feeling,” Jarpue said. “You feel like you’re on top of the world, so I’m just happy to see that people enjoyed our dance and our culture, so I’m very excited about it.”
Second-year University student Soahcheht Chhuon volunteered to set up the event and said students should know about the Gala because it creates a great community.
“It gives a chance for students from different backgrounds and communities to come together and just connect and get to know one another,” Chhuon said.
Chhuon said the event served as a way to increase unity within the Twin Cities community through sharing diversity. Chhuon’s favorite part of the event was the performances and seeing all the different talents.
One of the internal poster performers and MRSU member, Dante Rocío said they were happy the event was a way to represent people.
“Just showing people like we are there and that you can come and see that there are people like you too and you can express yourself,” Rocío said. “Even if there are spaces on campus where you don’t feel you can, which makes it important.”
Rocío said it was important to be able to represent diverse identities and the Gala made them very happy because of its embrace of diversity.
“It’s nice that I can show myself and that other people can do that as well and that this way we can celebrate ourselves, instead of feeling like we just have to, like, hide ourselves,” RocÍo said.
Breazile hopes the Gala can become a yearly event.
“I want to see this become a bigger thing,” Breazile said. “I want to see that all students know about this and are excited about this as much as we are.”
