By Karisma Polly
Staff Writer
Students gathered on Central Campus recently to watch their peers showcase cultural traditions through various languages, display their talents and learn more about different cultures.
Defy gravity was an outstanding event that brought culture to the eyes of students and gave others the opportunity to be able to see the diversity at Broward College. According to one of the event organizers, Holly Gilly, this event is held every semester, offering the students an avenue to share their heritage through art, music, and language. “This event is held so students get to express themselves in foreign languages and they talk about the culture they’re from as well. For example, I had a student from Jamaica, and he did a poem in English and in Spanish and it was called dos mundos- from two worlds. l love the fact that students can express themselves, and I think it’s a great way to enjoy music, dancing and fun at the end of the semester,” said Gilly, a professor at Broward College.
Beyond artistic performances, this event encouraged students to practice their public speaking skills and build confidence in expressing themselves. According to Ruthie Stewart, it is important that students gain support from their peers and have confidence in themselves. “I hope students gain confidence and community and goodwill with the people who are in the college campus,” said Stewart, another event organizer who is a professor in the speech department.
Defy gravity was not only an event where students were able to express themselves through languages, but they were also able to learn many things. For many attendees, the event served as a powerful lesson in self-expression and cultural appreciation. It reinforced the idea that once you gain confidence, you can do anything. “I think it’s really all about confidence. If you have the confidence, you can do everything,” said Suho Ko, a student at Broward College. The event also provided an eye-opening experience in cultural understanding and language diversity. “It was very language-based. I learned a lot about culture. It was really cool seeing all different people from different cultures talking about their culture,” said Valerie Crocker, a student at BC.
Many students liked that the event gave them the opportunity to experience artistry and to learn new languages. “It was a cool opportunity to try something creative, and I liked being able to learn a different language. So that was really cool, too,” said Carlos Cuevas, a student at BC. Students also appreciated the chance to view various performances, each showcasing unique artistic abilities and talents. “My favorite part was definitely seeing everyone else’s performances and artistic abilities. I was very impressed by my prospects. Everyone did great,” said Sarah Hall, a student at Broward College. As Broward College continues to host this event each semester, students can look forward to more opportunities to celebrate language, diversity, and the power of creativity.
Pollk11@mail.broward.edu
