Sisterhood of Unique Ladies (SOUL) and Multicultural Men’s Association (MMA) kicked off Halloween weekend with a spooky mixer on Thursday, Oct. 30. The “Haunted Hangout” was held from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Black Culture House.
The two groups decorated the house with red lights, handprints and had ghosts greet guests as they entered. Guests were invited to decorate Halloween-themed cookies with frosting and decorations for a “cutest cookie decoration” contest and make themselves a spooky drink with juice and candy upon arrival.
Throughout the night, games and contests were held for the chance to win a boo basket. Activities included games, face painting, tarot cards and a photo station.
Office of Student Inclusion and Diversity Director Ashley Allen was one of the faculty advisors involved in planning the event. Allen attended the event and helped direct the games.
“It’s really just an opportunity, obviously, to celebrate Halloween, but then also for students to come together, to mingle,” Allen said.“I think the unique part of it is that it’s hosted in the culture houses, which is a space that we want all students to know that they’re welcome, that they can be a part of, but then also make it a home away from home for students.”
The first game of the evening was Pick Your Poison. Pick Your Poison is a would-you-rather style card game. Each round, a judge picks a scenario, and players submit their cards in competition for the worst option. Players then vote which scenario they would rather be in, though both are unpleasant.
One student at the event was junior Thomas Johnson, who was one of the first to participate in face painting.
“My favorite part of the evening was watching everyone’s horrified expressions while they were trying to figure out the worst option [in Pick Your Poison],” Johnson said.
Allen said SOUL used this event to promote the group after overseeing some new developments this year.
Sophomore Student Ambassador of SOUL Yna Wangari said that, while the group did not go completely dormant, they’ve been working to revamp the program due to complaints that it’s not welcoming to many students.
“The reason we rebranded is because some people view SOUL as not inclusive, because it’s like the ‘sisterhood’ and brotherhood, [but] every single person is welcome,” Wangari said.
This emphasis on inclusivity wasn’t just important to the members of SOUL.
For MMA student representative Garrison Ellis, the event was all about bringing these groups and the student body together. Mixers like this that create a laidback social setting are perfect opportunities for different parts of the campus community to connect without it feeling forced or uncomfortable.
“For SOUL and MMA, I feel like the collaboration will help people start to make new friendships and get to know people around campus that they might not know. [For] new students and old, it’s more so just vibing and getting to know your peers,” Ellis said.
The next OSID event is ‘First Friday’ on Nov. 7. SOUL and MMA will hold the ‘Shades of Beauty’ and ‘Custom Convos’ events in the spring.
