On Thursday, the CCLC hosted the annual “Wildcat Vibe” on Kendall Lawn. Students were able to meet new people, mingle, dance and enjoy performances. During the evening, various clubs and organizations were tabling and recruiting new members. A majority of the tabling consisted of survey questions, fun games, goodies and other incentives to get students to join.

“Wildcat Vibe” started at 7 p.m. and went on until 11 p.m. Chico’s local nightclub DJ played the hottest tracks as students and faculty danced the night away. The highlight of the night was when multicultural fraternities and sororities performed for the crowd. Some of them included Lambda Theta Nu Inc and Phi Beta Sigma. To top off the night, hip-hop dance team Envy had a killer performance that had the crowd going wild.

Towards the end of “Wildcat Vibe,” some students had the opportunity to showcase their talents and perform. As students checked out the different tables, they had the chance to win prizes and free burgers from Madison Bear Garden. There were also tables passing out smoothies to cool down from the 110-degree weather.

The main focus of the Wildcat Vibe was to bring students from all backgrounds and celebrate diversity and inclusion.

“I think it’s important to bring awareness to the multicultural community on campus,” said Cynthia Sarabia, a third-year student and member of Lambda Theta Nu Inc. “Our sorority stands for sisterhood, academics and community service. Our founding mothers enforce education for Latinas so that we can graduate on time and be on the right track.”

The CCLC wanted to use a big platform on campus to connect minority students together and help them feel welcomed as the school year begins. They also wanted to make sure clubs and organizations that are culturally based are recognized and get the spotlight they deserve.

The organization “Latinas in Action” was created to focus on events and activities centering the outdoors and public lands.

“LIA was made to empower Latinas in Chico that are looking for a sense of community,” said Isabel Perez, president of LIA. “We go on camping trips and do community service and activities that focus on the environment.”

There were also groups aimed for black students on campus to come together. JustUs, an organization aimed to empower black female students at Chico State, had a table at Wildcat Vibe.

“JustUs is a group for us women of color to unite and stick together,” said Layja Norwood, third-year student and member of JustUs. “Sometimes, women of color feel insecure and alone, especially in an environment where there’s not that many of us.”

Wildcat Vibe was a night filled with great food, music, activities and energy. The CCLC plans to host more events like the Wildcat Vibe that will bring Chico State Wildcats together.

Niyat Teferi can be reached at [email protected] or @tayintee on Twitter