The Resource Center Hosts Sixth Annual Ankhsgiving Celebration With Multicultural Buffet

The Resource Center and the Ankh’s planning committee collaborated to celebrate this year’s Ankhsgiving on Saturday, Feb. 28. On this occasion, the University’s community celebrated students of color and continued the tradition of multicultural diversity in Beckham Hall, which was named after Edgar F. Beckham ’58, the University’s first African American dean of the college. 

The University’s first Ankhsgiving celebration was held in 2019, when Arline Pierre-Louis ’19 organized a formal gathering of students of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds to dine together, mingle, and observe one another’s talents and skills. Pierre-Louis sought to create an inviting and comfortable space for students of color and their allies to come together and exchange stories about navigating various aspects of life at the University. The Argus interviewed organizers of the Ankhsgiving event to learn more about its programming and impact.

“Ankhsgiving brings together and celebrates students of color on campus,” Diana Tran ’26, a member of the senior panel on Ankhsgiving, said. “As [the University] is a predominantly white institution, these events are imperative to supporting SOC [Students of Color] who may feel isolated or alone. Being in a space with people who look like you is really empowering, especially when we center their experiences and confident performances.” 

This year’s Ankhsgiving was organized by numerous students and members of several culturally-affiliated student groups on campus, including the Black Student Union, Shakti, the Asian American Student Collective, the Chinese Cultural Club, and the Latin American Student Organization.

The financial sponsors of this event include the Office for Equity and Inclusion and many major departments, such as Global Middle Eastern and North African Studies; the College of East Asian Studies; and the Department of Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Zain Punjwani ’26, a student intern at the Resource Center, described his experience working on the Ankhsgiving fundraising committee. He chaired the fundraising committee for the event this year with Shekinah Mba ’26 and Asper Cisse ’28.

“The three of us reached out to many departments on campus, and I was so moved by just how many agreed to co-sponsor Ankhsgiving and contribute financially,” Punjwani said. “Without their contributions, Ankhsgiving would not have been as successful as it was.”

Minaal Khwaja ’28, another student organizer, highlighted the significance of the contributions from women of color to this year’s Ankhsgiving.

“Organizing Ankhsgiving this year went amazingly,” Khwaja said. “The only hurdle was synchronizing our busy schedules, but the collaboration itself was inspiring. It was an honor to work within a leadership team composed  entirely of women of color to bring such a vibrant vision to life.”

At 6.pm., students entered the first floor of Beckham Hall where vendors selling their handmade art, products, jewelry, and clothes were lined up. 

“I have always loved coming to Ankhsgiving since my freshman year because of how many people perform on stage and the different kinds of talent you get to see from our community,” Ethan Chu ’26 said. “Whether it be the different dance groups like KDC [K-pop Dance Crew] and FXT [Fusion, X-Tacy, and Precision Troupe], bands like Black Raspberry, or even individual writers and poets showcasing their works in open mics at Ankhsgiving, I’ve always enjoyed how dedicated the artists are to their work and the movement and energy that is conveyed in their performance. Part of Ankhsgiving is the celebration of this work and craft, and being able to support my friends and others in my community has always been important to me.” 

Affinity-based student organizations also had information tables available to students at the event.

Students were given a free tote bag with the quote, “In order to rise from its own ashes, a phoenix must first burn,” by Octavia Butler, and a t-shirt with the Resource Center logo if they followed the Resource Center on social media.

“From a marketing standpoint, I’m incredibly proud of our strategy and how my vision for the tote bag design, which features a quote I hold dear, became a tangible part of the event,” Khwaja said.

As the night wore on, long tables with a wide variety of food were served, ranging from Indian to Caribbean, and from Mexican to Thai to Nigerian. One of the organizers of the event noted the careful selection of cuisines to represent different cultures.

“My favorite part was the Ankhsgiving meetings behind the scenes with other RC [Resource Center] employees,” Khwaja said. “I remember a specific conversation between the food committee about rice, which at the time felt grueling and trivial but now makes me smile knowing that the students who planned Ankhsgiving care so deeply about every detail that went into this event.”

Students enjoyed plates full of food while socializing around round tables inside the main room of Beckham Hall. Although the room was mostly dark, its atmosphere sparkled with an array of colorful, dynamic lights. Students took advantage of photo opportunities in front of a golden backdrop throughout the night. 

“My favorite part of the event is definitely the food,” Punjwani said. “It’s so great that we were able to have food from so many different cultures and restaurants.”

The Ankhsgiving planning committee also explained the origin of the Ankhsgiving tradition and the significance of the root word of the term “Ankhsgiving”: the ankh. An ankh is an object or design resembling a cross but having a loop instead of the top arm, used in ancient Egypt. Although the exact origins of the ankh are unknown, historians have reached the consensus that the ankh represents life and rejuvenation. Egyptian hieroglyphics depict gods and pharaohs holding ankhs in their hands, symbolizing their life-giving power. 

“[Resource Center Director] Demetrius [Colvin] worded it well,” Punjwani said. “You should check the all-campus email that went out about the symbolism of the term ‘ankh’ and why we call it Ankhsgiving. Beyond just creating space and community, Ankhsgiving serves as a reminder that we do belong at [the University] and that our experiences matter.”

Khwaja, the marketing assistant for this year’s Ankhsgiving, produced the Instagram content, TikToks, and reels alongside Daniela Hernandez ’28. Khwaja spearheaded the visual branding, creating the custom designs for the buttons and tote bags. Khwaja also served on the decorations committee with Ariadna Garcia ’28, Heaven Constant ’28, and Hernandez. Together, they curated the purple forest-like aesthetic, developed vision boards, and executed the physical setup for the event. 

“The purpose of Ankhsgiving is to honor our origins and remind us that our diverse backgrounds are assets, not burdens,” Khwaja said. “In a PWI [predominantly white institution] environment, it is easy to feel sidelined; this event reasserts that students of color’s voices are vital. I hope it offers the [University] community a sense of hope and serves as a reminder that, regardless of the political landscape, our worth is non-negotiable.”

The Ankhsgiving committee invited a panel of seniors to share their reflections on their most rewarding and challenging experiences at the University. The seniors also offered advice about navigating the highs and lows of college life to the other students present.

“Participating in Ankhsgiving as a panelist is a continuation of my work by speaking to underclassmen about my various experiences at [the University], showing them that this is a fun and inviting space for them,” Tran said. “As a freshman, these panels connected me to upperclassmen that I spoke to as I adjusted to Wes. Talking about my experiences on a panel is something I had only dreamed of doing as a freshman, and it was emotionally fulfilling to have that opportunity yesterday.” 

After the panel, the night’s performances were kicked off by Mba and Colvin performing a duet song.

Chu shared his account of the first performance, noting that it was one of the most memorable experiences at this year’s Ankhsgiving celebration.

“One of the most memorable experiences I had…[was] seeing my friend Shekinah perform on stage with Demetrius,” Chu said. “Being her friend, I am biased in saying she killed the stage that night, and her voice and passion definitely resonated throughout Beckham Hall when she sang last night.” 

This musical duet was followed by two rounds of musical chairs led by student volunteers. The two winners returned home with tote bags and white mugs decorated with the name of the Resource Center.

“I really liked cheering people on during the musical chairs activity and even participated in and won the second round of it,” Tran said when asked about her favorite part of the evening. 

The night was completed with a diverse selection of music, dance, and spoken word acts performed by a variety of students.

Attendants and organizers emphasized how Ankhsgiving can provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, expressing their support for the continuation of this annual tradition.

“I hope that Ankhsgiving can be a space where many students of color, particularly freshman or newly transferred sophomores, feel like they have a community that’s supporting them for the rest of their years,” said Chu. “I also think it’s important to recognize that it can be hard to find spaces where people of color can feel supported or cherished by those of similar backgrounds…. Ankhsgiving is a great reminder and celebration of our community that strives to support one.” 

Grace Lee can be reached at glee01@wesleyan.edu.