Umoja, which by definition means coming together, featured many signs of students coming together Friday at the African American Cultural Center. Free food, beautiful weather and a live DJ were all a part of the attraction, but the point emphasized was student unity.
Umoja is an orientation event aimed at showing incoming freshmen and high school students minority organizations they can join. Student organizations, as well as caricature drawings, face paintings, spades, free food and drinks, poetry and music were all a part of the event.
Jermaine Watson, AACC manager, said he was satisfied with the progress of Umoja from previous years. He liked the turnout as well as the participation level of the students who attended Umoja this year.
“Of all events, this was actually the best because people decided to stay until the end,” Watson said.
Shayla Leopold, an ISDS senior and Umoja student coordinator said the work she did planning as coordinator months ago was well worth the effort. Umoja was important for black students to experience, Leopold said. She wanted freshmen and returning students to know they would have fun to attract more students.
“Over the summer, we tried to think of different things for students to do,” Leopold said. “Contacting a DJ, a caricature artist and planning for student organizations to be out there for students was all a part of what we wanted. We mainly wanted them to see minority student organizations and other unifying things that they could be a part of.”
Leopold was happy with how receptive students were toward the concept of unity.
“[Umoja] was very successful; we had a good turnout,” Leopold said. “It looked like everyone enjoyed themselves; they even stayed after it was over and helped clean up.”
Justin Doherty, a kinesiology sophomore enjoyed his first time attending Umoja.
“It’s a nice event; it gives us a chance to meet new people and hang out with each other,” Doherty said. “At first, I came out for the food, but then I had a chance to learn something; I enjoyed the event.”
Doherty said he signed up for the LSU NAACP while at Umoja.
Umoja is the first of seven principles of Kwanzaa and stands for unity, which is what Watson and other coordinators were happy to see from students.