Today, students of different nationalities donned their traditional clothing to represent their culture. Here’s what their culture means to them and why they chose to embrace it today.

Sophomore Christina Nguyen

“Not a lot of people acknowledge that I’m Vietnamese, so I try to follow the traditions and express my culture. I’ve always had an interest in my culture because I’m Asian American, and I think it’s important I hold onto my culture so that I can pass it on to the future generations.”

Junior Neelufar Raja

“I think culture is the connection between your heredity and the traditions that your family has. For example, I’m Persian-Pakistani, but I still have American values too. When you embrace your culture, you not only learn more about the people you come from, but also about yourself. Learning about your family and where they come from instills a lot of pride in yourself.”

Sophomore Shreya Roy

“Culture means showing who you are and showing the world you’re proud of who you are. I’m one of the few people who dressed up today, but I don’t feel bad about it because I’m proud to be Indian and represent where I’m from. For me, a big part of culture is being accepting of who you are regardless of a situation.”