The Black Student Union gave Bowling Green a chance to celebrate African-American heritage and bring the community together through a Kwanzaa Festival.

Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 as a way to celebrate African-American heritage.

Sophomore Kaylyn Collier said Kwanzaa is not a replacement for Christmas, which many people think.

Collier emphasized the seven principles of Kwanzaa which include faith, creativity and self-determination.

The Kwanzaa Festival was described by Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs Sheila Brown as informal, but she said it wasn’t previously this way. In years past, the event was more formal, taking place at a dinner table with scheduled events. Brown now describes it as a “drop-in, drop-out” event.

Brown liked the format of the event, comparing it to the annual Japanese Ohanami Festival, which features crafts and performances. Some of the activities at the Kwanzaa Festival included making paper hats and learning about the seven principles of Kwanzaa.

Brown said she liked the new format for the crowd it drew.

“I think it’s a great turnout and I think people are receiving this format well,” she said.

Collier said the event is welcoming to everyone and likes that it brings the community together.

“We want to reach out to people of every race, no matter who you are,” she said.

As Collier had wished, people of all ethnicities attended the event.

The event focused on not just reaching out to the University, but the community of Bowling Green including the high schools said Emily Monago, director of Multicultural Affairs.

Monago said the event is a good way to educate the community.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the University and community to learn about African-Americans,” she said.

Sophomore Greg Harrison had been to previous festivals and said he liked the new format because it attracted more people. Harrison said he liked how welcoming the event was.

“I love that it is an event where the University and community participate,” he said.

Senior Shaunda Brown said her family has always celebrated Kwanzaa and feels it is very “anchoring” in her life. She liked the festival because the unity and the chance to learn more about the holiday.

“I think Kwanzaa is a good event because it brings everyone together,” she said.