Long Beach City College students sang their favorite songs, enjoyed music and connected with others at the Filipino American History Month karaoke night hosted by the Social Justice Intercultural Center on Thursday.
Alejandro Flores, a representative of the Social Justice Intercultural Center, said the purpose of these events is to celebrate the different cultures represented at LBCC.
“The goal is to really highlight and celebrate diversity and culture here at LBCC,” Flores said.
Flores explained that college should be about more than just attending classes and earning an education.
“It’s important that you come here and have fun while you’re doing so,” Flores said.
He also explained that the center organizes cultural events every month to help students feel welcomed and connected to their campus.
Flores said the center works with different student organizations to make sure each cultural celebration represents the communities it is honoring.
Sophia Dervichev, a student attending her first campus event, decided to participate because she wanted to experience a stronger sense of community.
“I just thought it was fun to kind of have a sense of community. It just gives you a break from all the stress of classes and schoolwork and it’s nice that the campus provides these free spaces for us to just hang out,â Dervichev said.
Jeremy Madrano, another student who attended the event, found that engaging with the campus community opened doors to broader student life.
“Becoming more active on campus encouraged me to participate in different clubs and activities,” Madrano said. “I used to just go to my classes and immediately head home, but coming to these events completely changed how I look at my time here on campus.â
“Events like karaoke night allow students to relieve stress, meet new people and find a community where they feel comfortable,” said Madrano.
Representative of the Social Justice Intercultural Center, Alejandro Flores, said the center hopes to continue organizing cultural celebrations and building partnerships with student organizations.
“It’s not for the people, it’s with the people. We want our students to know that their voices dictate exactly what kind of environment we build here together,” Flores explained.
By hosting vibrant cultural celebrations like karaoke night, the Social Justice Intercultural Center provides a vital campus space for students to relieve academic stress and build lasting connections.
