At Malden High School, culture isn’t just a word; it’s a force that keeps the school together. Staff members such as English teacher Yahaira Marquez and Principal Mastrangelo have worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone in this school is welcome and appreciated, regardless of their cultural background.
On May 16th, the Multicultural Club hosted its 11th annual Multicultural Celebration. This event was an effort to end the year with unity and acceptance. The club’s mission is to “promote diversity and tolerance among Malden High School students and the surrounding community.” They also “celebrate the myriad of cultures and backgrounds encountered in Malden, and…strive to educate and inform students and community members about those cultures as a way to further encourage unity and understanding within our society.”
This mission statement was carried out once again on Friday at 5pm as the club gathered students with a variety of foods, dance genres, and music from different cultures. After attendees had the opportunity to visit the various tables that were set up representing various cultures, the night continued with a performance by the admired AO Step Team, which constantly delivers performances of rhythm without the use of any music.
The club then decided to dedicate a song to Haitian culture titled “Papa Gede Bel Gason” by Lumane Casimir, a well-known musician within the Haitian community. This song, performed by Ruth Choisseui, tells the story of Lumane Casimir, who moves from rural Haiti to Port-au-Prince seeking work. It follows her struggle, eventual illness, and transitions to a discussion about the spirit of the dead, Papa Gede, in Haitian mythology. There’s no doubt that the Haitian community has had an impact on the school and the entire community of Malden. This performance was not only appreciated by the Haitian attendees but the entire crowd.
The event then shifted toward its final performance of the evening with a dance performance of the song “Drama” released by Aespa. This group, GalXC, was also seen at the 85th Annual Junior Varieties show in March. The group received roars of applause and appreciation at Junior Varieties, and their performance at the Multicultural event was just as impactful.
After being presented with multiple performances, they had to decide which cultural dish, submitted by a student, was the best. After the students voted, Marquez announced that the cash prize was awarded to Khkola Niazi and Bilal Psarly, the students who submitted Mantu. Mantu is a traditional Afghan dumpling dish filled with savory meat and onions, steamed, and often served with yogurt sauce and chickpea sauce.
Marquez, the advisor for the Multicultural Club, expressed her satisfaction with the event and how the school has grown to be more inclusive and tolerant toward different cultures. “My goal is always to build student awareness of the different cultures we have in Malden–to celebrate and learn about them, to have pride in their own. It’s not about being in silos, alone in your own group, but really being united with one another, and accepting of one another. So I think that’s what this celebration is all about.”
This satisfaction was shared among the entire population that attended. Principal Mastrangelo was filled with joy as he saw so many students united, “Look around at all the different cultures, and food, and dance, and clothes. It’s amazing, it’s who we are, it’s what Malden High School is. It fills me full of pride. The students who worked on this did an incredible job. Ms. Marquez, as always, did an amazing job. We have about a dozen staff members here on a Friday night with their families.”
The student body has also noticed the development of diversity in the school. Leica Naceus, a junior at Malden High reflected on how hard our students work throughout the year and saw this event as an award for their months of dedication, “I felt like it showed the unison of how people from different parts of the world can come in one place and enjoy each other’s company, foods, and just have fun. It’s just a fun time to let everyone let loose because this is like a reward for all we’ve done throughout the year, and now you can just come, relax, and enjoy, which I believe is beautiful.”
