MENA Mixer: Celebrating Culture, Community, and Connection
The Middle Eastern North African (MENA) Club serves as a cultural and community space on campus dedicated to celebrating, representing, and uplifting Middle Eastern and North African identities. Its purpose is to foster connection among students, promote cultural awareness, and create inclusive programming that highlights traditions, creativity, and shared experiences.
Building on this mission, our club was excited to introduce our first weekend event on April 18, the Pool Party MENA Mixer. We collaborated with Belly Dancing Club to create a welcoming space where students could gather, share culture, and enjoy some of our favorite foods: shawarma, refreshing mint lemonade, and sweet watermelon, perfect for a warm day centered on comfort and community. With finals approaching and stress building, the goal was also to give students a chance to slow down, share a meal, listen to music, dance, and simply be present with one another. We had a strong turnout and even invited students already at the pool to stop by, join us, and learn more about our club and culture.
Cultural Celebration
In addition to fostering connection, this event was held in celebration of Arab American Heritage Month. This allowed us to honor the richness, diversity, and cultural contributions of Arab American communities while creating a space that uplifted cultural pride, visibility, and representation in a welcoming and joyful environment.
Campus Support and Student Impact
This event was also made possible through the Associated Students Weekend Program Fund within the Student Activities and Engagement Office, which allowed student organizations to take advantage of campus funding to develop meaningful weekend programming. With this support, we were able to contribute to enhancing the overall student experience, connecting cultural experiences, and strengthening SMC students’ weekend life on campus. This initiative plays an important role in supporting student engagement, as well as contributing to making campus feel more active, inclusive, and welcoming beyond the classroom.
Activities and Community Building
The belly dancing lesson brought high energy to the event, highlighting a dance style that is both expressive and culturally rich. Meanwhile, the evil eye bracelet making station created a calmer, more reflective space where participants crafted something meaningful. We shared the cultural significance of evil eye jewelry, traditionally gifted as a symbol of protection from someone who cares about you. Making bracelets for one another added a thoughtful and personal layer to the experience, strengthening connection and community. There was a strong sense of belonging throughout the afternoon, and we hope to continue building on this success with future mixers.