Fullerton College’s Cadena Transfer Center had its annual Worldfest event recognizing the diversity of the school and raising awareness on important issues going on in the world.
The most popular attraction of the event was the chalk art contest happening right in front of the library facing the quad. Many students stopped and stared in awe at the talented chalk artists and their drawings. The contest included three different categories that gave artists a chance to win $100 in each.
The winners of each category for the contest were:
1. People – Andres Martinez
2. Earth – Annie Smith
3. Culture – Stephen Tith
As one walked around the quad listening to the sounds of a DJ and casually bumping into a freely flowing beach ball, many of the tents seemed both eager and anxious to recruit visitors in the mellow setting of the event.
A group project for an ethnic studies class presented information on APIOPA, Asian and Pacific Islander Obesity Prevention Alliance, which is a non-profit organization that empowers Asians and Pacific Islanders to improve their health and become more involved in their community.
On their table were sheets of recipes for healthier foods to cook and also a paper of statistics on the diseases and causes of obesity specifically focusing on Asians and Pacific Islanders.
“We came together and got information to prevent obesity: where it is and where it’s prevalent in the Asian American communities,” said Kieona WIlford, student.
The Sociology Club was also on the Quad informing people on the important issue of gendercide, which is gender-selective mass killing that’s happening around the world.
“’It’s a girl’ is considered one of the worst things to hear in certain cultures and we might not be able to stop it, but we can at least spread awareness,” said Kaley McCann, student.
She emphasized on the severity of this issue and that it’s important to simply educate people on the effects it has on the world.
Other tables representing specific nationalities such as African and Mexican also provided background information on their cultures and values spreading knowledge in the spirit of the celebration.
On one section of the grassy quad laid 40 tombs made out of cardboard that each represented five gallons of water. People pledged different ways to consume less water on little pieces of paper shaped as droplets and taped them to the tombs.
An average person uses 80-100 gallons of water a day, according to the USGS Water Science School, so the Water Conservation table aimed at focusing on daily consumption and the effect that one person has on the drought.
Ellie Karimi, a Fullerton College psychologist, was happily blowing bubbles in the wind with a big smile on her face. She was there representing the health department and wanted to make sure that students knew that there is always a psychologist on campus for those students in need.
She commented on the fact that she’s usually busy right before midterms and then her schedule clears up as the semester ends.
“When people are happy they don’t visit the psychologist,” Karimi said. “That’s probably because either winter or spring break is only weeks or even days ahead of them.”
Unfortunately, the turnout seemed a little dry, which may be because it was another hot summer-like day, but it was evident that the college seemed to lack a little school spirit. Regardless, the enthusiasm of those involved in Worldfest definitely lifted the energy of those who did attend and participate.