A typical CHS Multi Culti involves students running around the building, viewing forum's decorations and tasting their food. It involves every student walking into the St. Andrew's church to cheer as forums announce their Food Gatherers fundraising totals.
This year's Multi Culti looks a bit different. The CHS building has been closed for months and large gatherings are unthinkable. Instead, students celebrated over Zoom in a two-day event. The two days were largely planned by the newer Diversity Council, headed by student Vice President Ameera Salman.
On Monday, students had over an hour and a half in their forums. Many started by watching a TED talk and then did a food-related activity (sharing food and the traditions behind it has long been an important aspect of Multi Culti). Read on to discover what some forums did during their time.
The J. Johnson Forum
By Maggie Wolf
The J. Johnson forum got together through Zoom to bake brownies and celebrate Multi Culti from a distance. Following a favorite recipe online, the whole forum baked and watched each other from their kitchens. There was much discussion about past baking mishaps and our favorite in-person Multi Cultis. Even though a few kitchens were covered in cacao powder, everyone ended up getting a lot of laughs and some very chocolaty brownies!
The Coron Forum
By Lewis Perry
The Coron forum today is having created a cookbook for their Multi Culti. In November, students added recipes to the cookbook. On Nov. 23, they each picked a recipe added by another classmate and created it.
The Anderson Forum
By Dan Gutenberg
With a packed agenda, the Anderson forum wasted no time on their virtual Multi-Culti. Beginning with a cooking competition, forum members displayed what they cooked or baked over the weekend. After the share out, they voted on what they would order if it were a restaurant. Leah van der Velde won the competition with her chocolate ganache cake decorated with trees on top. Next, in two breakout rooms, the forum split up to play Among Us to have a little extra fun.
Then toward the end of their time together, everyone shared something that is a part of their identity, and enjoyed their last forum time to talk as a group before break.
The Whiteside Forum
By Lucy Tobier
The Whiteside Forum opened their Multi Culti with a deep discussion about red dye and its dangers. The debate stemmed from a question on adding dye to the brownies that the forum would be baking together over Zoom.
Before baking, the forum split up to watch TED talks on Native Americans, as well as gather ingredients. After the TED talks, forum members reconvened (virtually) in their kitchens and started on the brownies. They chatted and laughed as ingredients were mixed and baked, and agreed to report on taste the next day. The Whiteside Forum brownie baking kept alive the well-loved food aspect of Multi Culti and was a delicious way to spend the day.
The Thomas Forum
By Morgan McClease
The Thomas forum spent Multi Culti day one watching a TED talk, looking through family recepie slides and watching “ A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”. They watched a TED Talk from Margaret Noodin, who will be the guest speaker at Multi Culti day two. After, they discussed the talk, and then watched “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving'' as a forum. The Thomas forum finished with a slideshow of favorite family recipes.
The Silvester Forum
By Grace Wang
Tea Time! The Silvester forum joined today to celebrate Multi-Culti with a tea, coffee and beverage party. From Monster to hot chocolate to all types of teas, students gathered on Zoom with their favorite drinks. Before partaking in their own celebration, the forum listened to a TED Talk from Winona LaDuke called Seeds of Our Ancestors. Forum leader Ryan Silvester enjoyed the change this year.
“It’s a refreshing twist on what we normally do for Multi-Culti, and is part of a conversation that should be had more frequently,” Silvester said.
The Dudley Forum
By Sela Gur-Arie
The Dudley forum gathered for Multi-Culti to enjoy hot-chocolate, marshmallows, candy, cookie decorating and finger knitting. Each of these items were gathered into goodie bags that seniors helped distribute to each forum member. The activity started with seeing who could catch the most marshmallows in their mouth by throwing them into the air. Then began cookie decorating and finger knitting. A Dudley forum member, Zoe Simmons, taught the class how to finger knit with string that was included in the goodie bags. The day was full of delicious and fun activities for the Dudley forum.
