On March 13, 2026, the West Potomac Black Student Union International Night took place in the cafeteria. Countries from around the world were represented through food, outfits, and performances. Families gathered to experience these cultures, creating a sense of community within the West Po community. The event not only celebrated global traditions but also encouraged unity among the population.
International Night was planned and held by the Black Student Union (BSU), an after-school club for black students, as well as their sponsor, Ms. Terry. Preparation took time and effort from every group of students involved.
Ms. Terry, a physics teacher and sponsor of the Black Student Union, said, “The first thing was to get students to sign up and be part of the entertainment and bring food. It was a lot of box checking along the way to be sure that everybody was still on track.”
The event began with attendees filling their plates with food from a wide range of countries, giving everyone the opportunity to immerse themselves in the cuisine of other cultures. Each plate featured foods from different continents, giving everyone a taste of something different.
Roughly halfway through the event, performances of singing and dancing followed. Everyone celebrated culture while eating diverse cuisine and watching performances. The performances began with Salvadorian dancers, incorporating their unique cultures into their dances. The Salvadorian dance emphasized movement of the dress, twirling it in all different directions to the music.
Following this, the Hung Ci Lion Dance Troupe featured a unique Chinese performance using costuming, where two students piloted a traditional Chinese lion costume, stomping around to loud drumming. The lion interacted with the audience often, and ended with the lion eating lettuce and spitting it out.
Rayu Kim, West Po student and member of the Hung Ci Lion Dance Troupe, said, “The lion is a type of spirit, going around terrorizing the village. The lettuce is how the village tames the lion, and spitting it out symbolizes good luck and fortune.”
The next performance represented Trinidad and Tobago. Three students from Trinidad and Tobago danced, and one sang. The songs represented the culture of Trinidad and Tobago as the audience swayed along.
Addalia Sylvester, a West Po student and Trinidad and Tobago performer, said, “My family recently moved to the U.S. in 2024, and when we came here, it was like a whole new life. A whole new environment was a lot to get accustomed to. The first song depicts how my family and I felt coming to the U.S. Even though there are large differences, my family loves it here in the U.S.”
Habesha Club dancers who represented the Ethiopian culture danced as a group. Each unique dance they performed was meant to represent a different tribe. The members of the club were dressed in kemis, an Ethiopian dress, colored white, made of cotton from Ethiopia.
The final performance was a solo singing performance which concluded the event. Pictures and celebration were afterwards. Ms. Terry said she hopes to expand International Night in the coming years.
Ms. Terry said, “I just hope it gets bigger and better. We want students to come out with more acts to further represent different world cultures. My goal for next year is to get people more involved, and I’m sure that can be achieved.”
