Collective Action for Cultural Unity hosts 'Culture Not Costume' event
The Collective Action for Culture Unity team presents the "Culture Not Costume" event on Oct. 20 in Anspach Hall.
The Collective Action for Cultural Unity team discussed blackface, Native American costume and headdresses, sugar skull makeup, Pacific Islanders and Hula Costumes with fellow Central Michigan University students on Oct. 20.
During the “Culture not Costume" event, the group discussed cultural appropriation and its connection to Halloween
“[Blackface] is offensive because people did black face to be a stereotype of us African Americans or even just black people in general,” Vice President Olivia Martin said. “Some negative stereotypes that they had towards us was that we were lazy, we had a lack of knowledge, or that we were overly sexual. Something that a lot of European Americans did with us African Americans would hyper sexualize us.”
The organization played the Teen Vogue video “My Culture Is NOT A Costume." The video shows individuals from different cultures who discuss how many people dress up like them for Halloween. The individuals state that it is hurtful to them when others use their cultures as a costume, since their cultures mean a lot to them.
“I learned that there’s not just one different culture that’s the same as mine,” freshman Gavin Salgat from Lake Odessa Michigan said. “There are cultures that we have to respect and be aware of that are beyond the classes everyone thinks of when you think of cultural diversity.”
