The Cultural Identities Fair: Bounty-Hunting Churros and Representation

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Sasha Nikanova

Contributing Writer

In addition to being celebrated as International Beer and Pizza Day, on a more local level, Oct. 9 marked the Cultural Identities Fair (CIF) at UC Santa Barbara (UCSB). Taking place at the Storke Plaza, the annual CIF was buzzing with chatter and excitement  — from UCSB’s Greek life performances to bake sale fundraisers, everyone had something to watch and even more to eat. 

The biggest marketing point of the fair was, as it often is, competition. As promised, the first hundred students to attend the event were lucky enough to have the chance to win a free treat from one of the fair’s many vendors, as well as reap the biggest prize of all — a mighty churro.

What the attendees had to accomplish to gain this honor was obtain a check-in sheet from Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL) and then, midway through their conversation with one of the fair’s organizations, casually slip it across the table booth for the representative to sign. It was not awkward, by the way, not at all. 

If you were socially graceful enough to go through this procedure three times, you were invited to trade the signatures for two tickets: a red one and a blue one (it felt much less perilous than in the Matrix, I promise you). The red ticket would enable you to see past the illusion and transcend into — 

No, in all seriousness, the red ticket was even something more important, which is the key to the churro. The blue ticket allowed students to choose one of the many delicacies the fair offered, ranging from the delicious samosas prepared by the fiery Agni Dance Team to the refreshing aguas frescas offered by the benevolent Los Curanderos. 

As more people trickled in to experience the center of UCSB’s multicultural environment, the plaza transformed into a lively miniature town, gracing all those who remembered to pause and enjoy the moment with its beauty. 

Aside from the talented performances from UCSB’s sororities and fraternities, the plethora of student clubs — which was substantial both in numbers and in energy — shared its enthusiasm with the public. 

The Latinos for Politics organization not only proffered a powerful commitment to educating and representing the Latinx UCSB students but also expressed their hope for new members in this academic year. If you, reader, are planning to enter the political world, this might be the place where you can find valuable advice and connections. 

The Nigerian Student Association knocked the fair out of the park by adorning their table booth with traditional waist beads, inviting students not only from the West African country but also from any other walk of life to join their organization, which will act as a beacon of support for any student who needs it. 

The Latinx Business Association started the year strong by encouraging the UCSB community to attend their general meetings where they will showcase their professional connections to the business world, as well as offer workshops to help students hone their metacognitive skills in a safe and guided environment. 

The oldest and largest Latina sorority in the nation, Lambda Theta Alpha, is on the hunt for new members, emphasizing their dedication to redefining sisterhood and desire to uplift not solely Latinas but all underrepresented women on this campus. Also, is their logo fashionable or what? 

No matter how you look or speak, or where you come from, the CIF was a warm space for students from all places, religions, and languages of the world. SEAL carried out an outstanding job organizing the fair, though it lacked representation for international students of UCSB. Hopefully, there will be more organizations to welcome students from various nations since UCSB is a university full of members who come from foreign countries, bringing their unique heritages and perspectives. Perhaps next year’s fair will be called the “MULTIcultural Identities Fair,” serving to represent the UCSB community on a deeper and even more inclusive level. 

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