Small in numbers but big on culture, Mosaic Club has been getting more involved in cultural events around the state. Their most notable trip so far was the Milwaukee Folk Fair on Friday, Nov. 21.
“We took a trip to the Milwaukee Folk Fair to try different foods from different cultures, and we did a survey on which ones we thought were the best and worst,” Co-president Audrianna Reiser said.
Students who are part of this club experience many different cultures and traditions through this fair.
“We got to see a lot of cultural dances and hear their music. Although my favorite part was trying all the different types of food,” Co-President Hailey Rodriguez said.
Mosaic Club members also wish to have more big events, like the Folk Fair in Milwaukee, during the school year to help bring in new members.
“At the end of the year, we do a big cultural potluck where we all bring food from a culture (ours or a different one) and eat together. We usually play music, watch a video about a culture, or learn a dance. It is full of laughs and just really fun,” Rodriguez said.
Since the Mosaic Club is about cultures, members of the club get to learn about different people around the world, and how those different groups of people celebrate events through their culture.
“We try to follow national heritage months. We know the Asian Lunar New Year is coming up. So, we’ll definitely explore their culture and probably have a party with traditional food,” Mosaic Club adviser Eydie Clark-Reiser said.
Members of the club also find it an important way to express themselves and the people around them.
“It’s about finding your cultures in your own history, and finding other cultures and how to interact and express them too,” Audrianna said.
A big goal for Mosaic Club this year is to try to get the word out about the club and recruit new members to keep it going.
“I think people hesitate because they think we are just sitting there learning about culture, or they just don’t care enough to take the time to come see that we really do,” Rodriguez said.
The importance of other cultures and how people can see other people’s worldviews is a huge topic that members of Mosaic Club explore during the school year.
“It is a place to celebrate and learn about the cultural differences around us. I love learning about all the cultures, and it is a great way to create community,” Rodriguez said.
To stay connected with people in this school, members hosted a bake sale to help pay for the needs of the club.
“We were raising money to go to our folk fair, and we also wanted to do some more things with advertising. It will also be used to make some t-shirts, merch, or something to celebrate cultures,” Eydie said.
Plans for the club are already being discussed with leading members.
“We want to get more people interested and learn about the club. So in the next few years, after the co-presidents graduate, it won’t become inactive again,” Rodriguez said.
With the future in mind, members of the club want others to feel as impacted as they do. Opportunities await future members hoping to find more cultural experiences.
“This club is a great opportunity to find out about that person and their cultures, how we are different, and how your culture and your cultural experience develop mine, and my worldview. Just because we’re in the small town of Berlin doesn’t mean we can’t have a global vision, too,” Eydie Clark-Reiser said.
