Minority Student Organizations Educates Students on Cultural Appropriation

By Jake Jenkins

Nov. 1, 2022

Ilina Krishen, ’23, Secretary of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, stated that people are taking different cultures’ experiences and pain and treating it as a costume to take on and off-- without facing consequences as a racial minority.

The Talsky Center Student Network, Native American Law Students Association, Black Law Student Association, Latino Law Society, Middle Eastern Law Student Association, and Asian Pacific American Law Student Association sat down on Halloween day with other students for an in-depth and involved open discussion on what exactly cultural appropriation is, why it's so relevant during this holiday (and all the time), and what others can do to fight cultural insensitivity.

Marissa Accardo, ’24, Student Information Officer and Treasurer of The Talksy Center, was the organizer of the event.

“This is a prevalent issue around Halloween,” said Accardo. “Cultural appropriation is an issue that should be talked about all the time, especially around this time when people are dressing up. As a white woman I knew I shouldn’t be leading this conversation which led to reaching out to the organizations and they loved the idea.”

Halloween costumes often show a lack of respect – and an abundance of ignorance – for many cultural traditions, said Kristina Martinez, ’23, President of Native American Law Students Association.

“People do not educate themselves enough, so they don’t think it is an issue,” said Martinez. “For people dressing up as Native Americans and with headgear, it is a slap in the face. We are looked down upon for wearing these things but when this holiday comes around it is suddenly okay for people to dress how they want.”

Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures.

For future references, always remember to be respectful to those who come from different racial backgrounds and to not use or wear things that would be offensive to most. There are rituals and artifacts that hold specific meanings to groups and should not be used as props and jokes for one night or any day of the year.