From Cultural Rhythms Festival: Kicking Off ‘A Family Affair’

While Harvard has been re-emerging from the pandemic in these past few years, the Harvard Foundation’s Cultural Rhythms Festival has been rebuilding from the gap in institutional memory created by Covid-19. Cultural Rhythms Festival co-director Kyla N. Golding ’24 saw this post-pandemic era as an opportunity, saying, “part of reimagining is reinventing.” In the festival’s 38-year history, this year is the first ever with a fashion show — Golding’s own brainchild, three years in the making.

“What’s a better way to show somebody without even having to say anything, what your culture is all about? [It’s] what you wear and how you wear it,” Golding said, sharing the inspiration behind the fashion show. “I want people to see what kind of magic happens when people from across the world get together.”

This togetherness was certainly present on Monday evening in the Smith Campus Center’s Harvard Commons. Upon walking in, audience members were greeted with the sight of all the models seated in a group, each donning their unique attire representing five continents and 25 distinct cultures. Flower-lined walkways and cool-toned lighting set a celebratory yet intimate mood, embodying “A Family Affair” — the theme of this year’s Cultural Rhythms Festival.

Models walked down the catwalk in pairs, each wearing their respective cultural attire. By Wonjae Suh

Models walked down the catwalk in pairs, each individual wearing their respective cultural attire. Some wore self-made outfits, some incorporated flags, but everyone walked confidently, proudly displaying their fashion. At the end of the catwalk, every duo posed together, some smiling or in embrace, an image of familial unity in the shared celebration of culture.

Model Mai K. Nguyen ’24 performed as a musician in last year’s Cultural Rhythms Festival and returned this year to walk in the Fashion Show.

“Cultural Rhythms is an opportunity for people to share things that might not be in the dominant culture in a way that isn't as high pressure,” Nguyen said.

Many audience members also echoed how special the event was for them.

“It's very rare that there are institutions at Harvard that really uplift cultural diversity,” Ricardo R. Razon IV ’25 said. “So it's very important that we show up and support anything that pushes cultural diversity as much as possible.”

With the wide swath of cultures represented on Harvard’s campus, Cultural Rhythms offered students a week-long opportunity to share all parts of their cultural identity with the community, from food to fashion. Like the rest of the Festival, the Cultural Rhythms Fashion Show and Artist Reveal was a joyous event of cultural collectivity. Through Cultural Rhythms, students drew inspiration and connections from the diversity Harvard boasts.

At the end of the catwalk, every duo posed together, an image of familial unity in the shared celebration of culture. By Wonjae Suh

“Culture is so important to the United States and the world in general,” Emefa Dake ’27 said. “To see Harvard embracing the different cultures that are seen here, it’s just an amazing thing. So I was like, okay, of course I have to be here.”

The bounds of the “Family Affair” theme extended to the audience experience as well. Many students shared how they attended not only to experience a cultural celebration, but also to support friends who worked to orchestrate the Cultural Rhythms Festival.

Another highly anticipated part of the night was this year’s Cultural Rhythms Festival Artist Reveal. In addition to supporting her suitemate, Richael Saka ’27 said that she attended the event to find out who the celebrity would be.

“There's a lot of controversy over whether or not Beyoncé may or may not be coming,” Saka said.

The Artist Reveal finally settled audience speculation. As the models lined up in two rows, a full display of their diverse, colorful attire, the hosts unveiled this year’s Artists of the Year: Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance.

This year’s Cultural Rhythms Festival took on new pursuits, with the addition of a Fashion Show and the induction of two Artists of the Year, a title traditionally given to just one individual. Nonetheless, the Festival remained a beloved event.

“This show is a really special opportunity that you won't get at any school,” Nguyen said. “It's not something to take for granted in your life that you're in a place that's so diverse and people can really show that.”