By Zainab Richardson | Staff Writer
In today’s world where people are often divided by differences, Better Together and Multicultural Affairs will create a space for people to learn from those differences.
Better Together and Multicultural Affairs invite students to break their Ramadan fasts and break barriers March 17 at Neighbor Night, an event blending faith and awareness.
The event, beginning at 7 p.m., will include food and games at the Bobo Spiritual Life Center. Though primarily geared toward Muslim students, the event is open to all students who want to learn about other cultures and experience community.
Neighbor Nights is a monthly gathering hosted by Better Together in partnership with various campus groups to help students experience other cultures and practices.
Tanish Singh, a master’s student from Austin, said he partnered with Better Together to “humanize the otherness” of different cultures and religions with this event.
“A lot of people at Baylor have never experienced another religion outside of their own,” Singh said. “And so we hope that through this event we can … show them that these are just people like you and me.”
This event was also born from a wish to not just spread awareness but also to bridge the gap between communities, Singh said. Hearing about his friends’ experiences motivated him to host something like this.
“I have a lot of friends who are Muslim, and they have shared with me some troubling stories about their experiences at Baylor and not being accepted, not being treated like a human being, which is kind of disheartening,” Singh said.
Hanna Al Hayek, a Houston junior and a practicing Muslim, said she hopes for the event to encourage the Muslim community.
“As a Palestinian who has lived in the Arab countries and the U.S., as well as having grown up with Ramadan and Islam all around me, my intention and hope for this event is to both uplift and empower the Muslim students here at Baylor and educate people about the beauty of different beliefs and cultures,” Al Hayek said.
The goal of the event is not just for Muslims, but for anyone willing to learn more about other cultures. Singh said the hope is to break stereotypes while creating a fun environment. Al Hayek said the environment of joy is what piqued her curiosity.
“Centering the night with games helps release some of the tension that may be built and helps create an environment where the goal isn’t to convert, but to enjoy a different lived experience,” Al Hayek said.
