The more you know about someone else’s culture, the better it is for you to understand, communicate and appreciate them, according to Imani McFarlane, founder of House of Tafari Collections on Thursday evening at the Global Bazaar event hosted in the Shapiro Campus Center (SCC) atrium. 

Many cultures, nationalities and traditions that make up the Brandeis community were represented at the event. Over a dozen tables filled the ground floor of the SCC, hosting signs, games, food and more from academic departments, student clubs and local businesses. Seated behind her table, laden with the head wraps her company makes, McFarlane said that the event was “a great display of various cultures.”

Jae Seo ’20, treasurer of the Japanese Student Association (JSA), said that global awareness means gaining more than just a surface-level understanding of other cultures. He explained how the event gives the club an avenue to help people understand Japanese culture beyond “just anime or manga.” The Bazaar offered guests the opportunity to taste foods and learn more about immersive programs like study abroad or United World College Scholars. 

Language booths were a large presence at the event. German Studies Undergraduate Departmental Representative (UDR) Natalie Hattan ’22 said that taking a foreign language forces people out of their comfort zones. 

“When we can’t have a full-on cultural immersion everyday, forcing someone to think outside of their native language, speak outside of their native language, is really important. It reminds people that there is a world outside Brandeis,” said Hattan.