by Amabelle ’25

Renowned American poet Maya Angelou once said, “In diversity there is beauty and there is strength,” which echoes the sentiment of the fifth hallmark of a Notre Dame learning community: We embrace the gift of diversity. Notre Dame wholeheartedly affirms this every day with its curriculum and co-curriculars. An amazing example of this is the annual Diversity Showcase in JB Hall, which took place last Friday. 

Planned and executed by one of ND’s leadership groups, Facing History and Ourselves, alongside a board of student club officers called the Diversity Council, the Diversity Showcase began with a fashion show of student models featuring different cultural attire. Following suit was a beautiful variety of performances from countless student-led clubs, groups and associations, such as a poem from the Black Student Union and Ms. Mathis, a song from the Queer Student Alliance and dances from several cultural groups.

What makes the Diversity Showcase so special is that it is student-run and student-led. Grayson ’25, vice president of the Filipino Student Association, which performed a traditional and hip hop variation of a dance called tinikling, remarks, “Performing at Diversity Showcase is such a fun and exciting experience. It is so cool to see our performance and performers come together after all our endless hours of practicing.”

Shirley ’25, co-captain of the K-Pop Dance Team, part of the Korean Cultural Club, loves the Diversity Showcase because, “One of ND’s merits is how diverse our student body is, and it’s really cool to be able to proudly share and represent facets of our community through various forms of expression.” 

A huge thank you to Ms. Klasila, Ms. DeSilva and Ms. Fitz for their hard work in planning a gorgeous showcase that celebrates an important component of our school. We also thank the ND community that attended the Diversity Showcase and continually upholds one of our school’s hallmarks. 

2024 Diversity Showcase Video