A Celebration of Colors and Diversity

If you are lacking a little color in your life South Alabama’s Intramural Fields were the place to be on Saturday, April 6. The Indian Student Association brought the celebration of Holi Festival to South Alabama’s Intramural fields. With the help of sponsors like USA, SGA and Global USA, there were many games, activities and even traditional Indian cuisine.

Holi Festival is a celebration that originated in India, now known worldwide, that celebrates the triumph of good over evil by removing societal differences to bring people together as one. The celebrations for Holi Festival date back centuries, but it is still an event that draws in millions of participants all over the world, even here at South Alabama.

“There are multiple reasons people feel divided in the society. These can be social, economic, racial, and/or cultural. Holi gives people a reason to come together regardless of their status in society,” ISA President Monica Pasala said.

The ISA put their own spin on things by having games like a hula hoop and jump rope contests, raffles and a Henna booth where some of the ISA members gave participants henna tattoos. There were multiple food booths including Subway and traditional Indian food. Around 450 students, faculty and community members showed up to participate in the celebrations.

With South Alabama making a strong movement into a creating a diverse campus, events like Holi Festival can be a step in the right direction.

Pasala spoke on how she thinks Holi Festival allows South Alabama to expand its boundaries saying, “ Diversity is what makes South unique,” she continued, “The Indian Student Association takes great pride in being able to share Indian culture with the University of South Alabama. Holi is our biggest event of the year and we love to bring our university together.”

By the end of the event, everyone was covered in the vibrant colors of Holi, joining together to celebrate the diversity of South Alabama with new cultures and experiences.

Pasala closed out by speaking on what it was like being in the position of ISA President and being a part of planning South’s Holi Festival.

“It was amazing to see the event come together on Saturday,” Pasala said. “We had people from different cultures, ages, and ethnicities attend the festival. It was very rewarding to see everyone from our diverse community enjoying the event.”

Link to original story: https://jagmedia.org/a-celebration-of-colors-and-diversity/