The pie-in-the-face fundraiser is held annually to help Diversity Program Council (DPC) organizations support each other. Photo by Alison Skowronek.

SAMUEL DEMIS | STAFF REPORTER | sademis@butler.edu

The Diversity Program Council (DPC) hosted a multitude of events from Oct. 13-17. These events offered casual spaces for students to embrace their individual practices and beliefs while learning more about other cultures.

The events included a blood drive organized by Students of Color Allied in Healthcare (SOCAH), a bonfire hosted by the Latino Student Union (LSU) and a painting and mocktail night run by the Muslim Student Association (MSA), among other gatherings.

Amy Yactayo, a junior jazz studies major and LSU vice president of communications, enjoyed the camaraderie involved in operating DPC fundraisers. 

“One of the things we do every year is a pie-in-the-face fundraiser, which we hold as part of our Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations,” Yactayo said. “It’s great that students are able to participate in such an amusing way; we deeply appreciate it.”

Additionally, the money earned from the pie-in-the-face event is used to fund other DPC events throughout the year. 

Sahar Atmar, a junior biology and Spanish double major and president of the MSA, spoke about her experience hosting the painting and mocktail night.

“I was very surprised at the turnout for the event,” Atmar said. “We have a pretty large group, but we also recognize that our events are usually on Wednesdays and not everyone can show up. We’re a very academically-driven group, so with midterms, many of us are incredibly busy. The fact that we were able to get 20 people to show up to that event is something I’m very happy with.”

The event provided an opportunity to socialize with mocktails while learning about the 99 names of Allah through painting, combining a religious educational experience with a chance to unwind and make new friends. 

Atmar also discussed future plans for MSA events throughout the rest of the year.

“Ramadan in February is our biggest event of the year, but in the buildup to that we are planning on bi-weekly events,” Amar said. “We’ll hold what we call a halaqa, which is the equivalent of a sermon. We’re lucky enough to have a Muslim life advisor on campus; he usually holds those for us. We also work in collaboration with the Compass Center on many of their events.”

The SOCAH blood drive was another way of fundraising through action. The drive was operated in partnership with Versiti, which has worked with Butler on numerous blood donation fundraisers including the Butler vs. Marquette Blood Battle. 

Tiffany Hoang, a junior healthcare and business major and SOCAH president, expressed interest in hosting similar fundraisers in the future.

“One [plan] we’re working on is a blood typing event,” Hoang said. “We started doing it last year, where students can get tested and find out their blood type. It’s completely safe because we make sure to bring [in] professionals.”

Overall, these events are an excellent opportunity for students to push beyond their comfort zones, learn about unique cultures and have a fun time meeting new people. 

“I would recommend just showing up to any event that sounds interesting,” Hoang said. “All of the DPC organizations are considered alliance groups, so you don’t need to be part of any specific identity to come to an event.”

Students can find information about upcoming DPC events on the organization’s Instagram page.