Anirudh Mantha, Sreya Etherajan, Naisha Patel, Dilnaaz Talwar, Lavanya Meduri, Harshal Lobana, Ryan Singh, Ruhaan Singh

Every year, TJ’s Namaste Club sponsors and organizes International Night (“iNite”), a large multi-cultural show, one of the largest events of the school year that involves anywhere from 500 to 700 students. Each of the 20 acts represents the various school culture clubs, giving each group the opportunity to display the music, dance and other traditions from their culture. Participating clubs range from the multiple language Honor Societies to Hispanic Alliance, Black Student Union, American Sign Language, Persian-Arab Club, and Korean Culture Club, to the skilled Urban Dance Movement. As the Indian Student Association, Namaste celebrates their traditional dress and dance forms as well, including Garba and Bhangra from different states and regions of India.

iNite provides opportunities for students from one cultural background to learn about and appreciate the different experiences of fellow students which further promotes understanding and encourages peace among groups. Students are even encouraged to wear a costume or learn a dance or skill different from those of their own heritage, and then perform in that other group’s act.

This annual event is so popular with students and their families, it is held at a university concert hall, as 2,000 tickets can sell out in minutes. Besides being a major bonding and morale-boosting event for the students and community, ticket sale revenue for the past several years has been used as a fundraiser for an international charity. For each of the past four years, Namaste has donated $4,000-5,000 from the iNite ticket sales to charities such as Action Aid, International Rescue Committee, and other global peace and justice-promoting non-profits. The Namaste officers put in countless hours to run this event, and it has become a cherished tradition at TJ.

In addition to iNite, Namaste sponsors iDay on the school day prior to the performance. During iDay, students, teachers, and administrators wear cultural clothing, adding to the exciting atmosphere of International Night season. The club also hosts several school-wide events celebrating different aspects of Indian heritage, including Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors, Love, and Spring. Their Bhangra Team gives students another outlet for dance, and is a great source of pride.

Practicing the spirit of “namaste,” which is a respectful greeting of “welcome and hello,” the leaders of the Namaste Club explain that iNite is one unifying show; it’s not factionalized. It is composed of different acts that bring together students, teachers, staff, and families into one inclusive community. In the words of Namaste Club President Lavanya Meduri, “iNite is a fun and powerful catalyst for unity, giving us students the opportunity to embrace and showcase our diverse cultures while fostering cultural connection within our lively community.”