Diversity on display at Fox Chapel Area Multicultural Night

An event that started two decades ago at Fox Chapel Area High School to showcase Indian culture has evolved into a way to embrace the diversity of all district students.

Born from the DESI Club’s early 2000’s event featuring Indian dance, food and music, Multicultural Night is an annual celebration “of the differences that unite us all,” said 17-year-old senior Arnim Kuchhal, an event organizer. “We created Multicultural Night with the mission of giving high school students a chance to showcase their diverse backgrounds, cultures and traditions to the broader community.”

This year’s features include Desi Club, Asian Cultural Club, Black Student Union, Jewish Student Union, German Club, Latinx Heritage Club, Muslim Student Association, Spanish Club, International Cuisine Club and more.

The event is 6 to 9 p.m. March 19 at the high school auditorium. It is free and open to the public.

Senior Rohit Velankar said the event has drawn more than 150 attendees in recent years.

“We hope people attend because most people in their day-to-day lives only interact with those similar to them, whether that be in age, race, religion or wealth,” said Velankar, 18, an event organizer. “This gives people a chance to learn about global traditions they may otherwise be unaware of.”

Velankar said guests get a glimpse of traditions important to their fellow residents who perform onstage or share at an exhibition table.

Cooper-Siegel Community Library, Sharpsburg Community Library and Ketchup City Creative in Sharpsburg have signed on to support the event and raise awareness through their websites.

“We expect an even larger and more diverse crowd this year,” Velankar said.

The expo will feature music, dance, and food – with free culinary samples made by district cultural clubs. There will also be a paid Indian buffet available from Aspinwall’s Spice Affair.

Launched in 2001 by the DESI Club, the event early on was a fundraiser that benefited efforts like recovery from the Gujarat earthquake that impacted India and Pakistan that same year.

Two decades later, the event was still going strong but members of the school’s DESI Club, diversity council and other cultural clubs believed it could bring awareness to a wider scope.

Teacher liaison Jessica Green said Multicultural Night allows students to share their heritage and form an appreciation of the diversity of their peers.

“This year will be especially exciting as we will be showcasing the many clubs at the high school that celebrate culture, promote inclusivity and foster belonging,” Green said. “We look forward to having community members join to celebrate the hard work and dedication of the students who make this event happen.”