Friday, September 17, Lambda Upsilon Lambda brought Rensselaer its ninth annual Cultural Pride Night. The event was brought to RPI eight years ago as a tool to unite the campus community, increase cultural awareness, and allow students to practice talents and perpetuate their culture. It has gone from an early beginning in a classroom of the CII with 30 attendees and five performances, to one of the largest events held on Rensselaer’s campus.
This year’s Cultural Pride Night was attended by over 400 people, with over 10 performing acts ranging from the Rusty Pipes to a steel drum band, from Afro-Cuban Drumming and Dance with Professor Lealon Martin to jazz piano with Professor David Arner. Along with the range of cultural performances also came more theatrical performances. It was especially pleasing to see the community at such a technical school demonstrate such diverse talent.
The event also exposed Rensselaer students to various cultural dishes which they might not normally have the opportunity to sample. As if all of this was not enough, the brothers of Lambda Upsilon Lambda decided to take advantage of the huge number for people in attendance at the event. They invited several community service organizations for students to get to know and collected money for these organizations.
The brothers of Lambda Upsilon Lambda did a great job in putting together an event that serves the RPI and Troy community on many levels. Although it was an event thrown solely by Lambda Upsilon Lambda, it was embraced by all.
Cultural Pride Night not only allows students to establish a sense of pride in their respective cultures, as the rest of the campus appreciates them, but it also teaches us all about new cultures and develops a sense of unity on campus. The event allows students to get to know one another, making the environment at RPI a more pleasant and enjoyable one.
