Students from the Middle Eastern Student Association and the Arab Student Association posed together onstage after walking in a fashion show at their Heritage Dinner on Friday, Feb. 1, 2018. Ella Banken//AS Review
By Brooklin Pigg
Turkish tea sets, pearl necklaces and a mini hookah were some of the items laid out on a table in the MAC gym located inside Wade King Rec Center Friday, Feb. 1. They were part of the silent auction for the Arab Student Association’s (ASA) and Middle Eastern Student Association’s (MESA) first heritage dinner.
“We’ve seen all the Ethnic Student Center (ESC) clubs do this before us and we’ve gone to a lot of them,” Saniah, president of ASA, said. “So the fact that now we’re able to share our culture and showcase that to everyone is really exciting.”
ASA and MESA were both formed last year. Pardis Davari, president of MESA, said when she first arrived at Western a few years ago, she was disappointed in the absence of Middle Eastern and Arab clubs.
“It’s been a lot of work, especially because we’re a small group on campus,” Davari said. “But now we have a space for that, so I’m pretty happy about that. Hopefully it grows more because we’re still really new.”
Dance performances and fashion shows were part of the lineup. Usama Arshad sang and played guitar. His friend, Andrew Bayes, came to watch, as well as to look for connections.
“I’ve been working on a fundraising project to raise funds for student refugees and I thought I’d get a couple contacts,” Bayes said.
Without having much involvement with these groups otherwise, he said he thought the show was great. There was a break in the middle with time for each table to get food from Mediterranean Specialties, who was catering the event. Davari said they picked them because they are a local business and someone in the MESA club has a family connection to them.
In line for food was Whatcom student Sophie Truppner. She said her favorite part was seeing cultures through the dancing and clothes. She came because of her wanted to support her friend Davari.
“My favorite part would have to be how everyone came to help us out and put this event together,” Davari said.
ASA meetings are Monday 6 p.m. MESA meetings are Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Both are located in the Ethnic Student Center on the fourth floor of the Viking Union.
