OIS and VISA held the annual Kaleidoscope event on 13/11 (Wed) this year in celebration of the diversity at Vassar. As in previous years, we had the flag ceremony, dessert cook-off, and talent show “World’s Got Talent”.

Viewing the flag ceremony was particularly inspiring. Having been in Vassar for a couple months now, I have made friends from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. In our day-to-day conversation, it’s easy to slip in a fact or two about our own hometowns or countries, and this is often done with lots of admiration and longing for our roots. When the flag bearers waved their flags and gave short speeches introducing their country, I can see the respect each person had towards their home. It was especially heartwarming for many to proudly represent their people. The flag ceremony was not only just a celebration of Vassar’s diversity, but it was a moment for reflection, appreciation, and understanding of the differences that brought us all together.

World’s Got Talent was mainly comprised of musical performances. The new Bollywood dance group Let’s Nacho made their debut performance at Kaleidoscope, and our singers sang in languages such as (but not limited to) Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean. Yearly contestant KoDC, the Vassar K-pop dance crew, was placed first. For performers, World’s Got Talent was a culmination of hard work put into perfecting their performances and love for the culture represented; for the audience, World’s Got Talent was a lighthearted celebration of the varied talents and backgrounds of the Vassar student body.

Kaleidoscope is simultaneously the perfect representation of Vassar’s diversity and the reminder that Vassar is incomplete without the many unique stories it is comprised of.