Fashion
features style, cultures
By Todd Leland
Daily Forty Niner
The
Multicultural Festival kicked off its final
day with a fashion show Thursday that highlighted
traditional African, Thai and Chinese garments.
 The
show was held on the Southwest Terrace and
was accompanied by a lunch buffet served
by both the Korean and Chinese Students
associations.
“The turnout was not what we had hoped for
today, but we had a great week,” Laura Apeldoorn,
secretary of equity and diversity said.
 Apeldoorn
said she gives special credit to the Korean
students Association for making the festival
such a success.
“They have been here all week,” Apeldoorn
said of the KSA. “They have come out and
put together a great barbecue today and
have made the festival that much better.”
The week started out on Monday with a luau,
Apeldoorn said, also held on the Southwest
Terrace, that incorporated New Zealand,
Hawaiian and Tahitian cultures.
“That was a big day,” Apeldoorn said. “The
entire terrace was crowded with people having
a good time.”
The fashion show did not enjoy as large
a turnout. Only three students participated
in the show, which Apeldoorn said was supposed
to have many more participants than the
three in attendance.
“Many of the student cultural organizations
were supposed to have people here in the
show,” Apeldoorn said. “But many of those
people did not show up.”
The three students who decided to appear
strutted their stuff on the runway displaying
the distinct wardrobe of the African, Thai
and Chinese cultures.
Mariel Ann Malimban, a second year social
work major, represented the Chinese culture.
Monica DeLaCruz, a senior psychology major,
was adorned in Thai dress while sophomore
Patrice Clark, a kinesiology major, hit
the catwalk in African attire.
Though disappointed by the fashion show
turnout, Apeldoorn said she was thrilled
about the festival in general and said she
plans to make improvements next week.
“The fashion show may not have been a total
success,” Apeldoorn said. “Tonight is the
last night of the Multicultural Festival
and with the keynote speaker we can have
a good end.”
The keynote speaker Apeldoorn was so excited
about was Cal State Long Beach professor
and Kwanzaa founder Maulana Karenga, who
spoke Thursday night in the Grand Ballroom.
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