The Arabic Culture Club, or ACC, is an organization at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette that is dedicated to bringing diverse Arabic culture to Cajun country and establishing strongholds for international students to stand up and become leaders. This is done through movie nights, karaoke nights, table talks, meetings and bake sales that the club presents for the UL Lafayette student body.
These events are open for any students who want to participate. The president of the ACC, Azme Abbas, a senior biology major, says that it is a “friendly club for everyone to come hang out and meet new people.”
There are about 30-50 students who are consistently active, however numbers vary for every event.
The club does fundraisers, community work and encourages members to participate in the Big Event each year.
One of the events hosted by the ACC is called Table Talk. This is where members of the club set up a table on Rex Street and talk about certain topics with students who are passing by.
These talks are a chance for members of the Arabic club to chat with other UL Lafayette students about current events and Arabic culture such as religion or holidays. These table talks are also the setting of many bake sales that serve as fundraisers for various causes around the world.
A specific cultural aspect that the club has held table talks about is Ramadan, a major annual celebration in Arabic culture in which fasting, prayer and community are prioritized.
Another way that the club connects international students with other UL Lafayette students is by inviting the international students to lead a talk about their home country. This is a chance for others to learn about diverse countries and cultures while helping to make international students feel more at home.
The ACC collaborates with many other student organizations like the Student Government Association, or SGA, to put on events.
Abbas says that the club “works closely with SGA to help be the voice for international students.”
Most semesters, the Arabic Culture Club hosts an athletic event against a separate UL Lafayette student organization.
This semester, the ACC will host a soccer match against the UL Muslim Student Association, or MSA. The match was held on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. on the intramural fields.
The ACC is supported by Zeus Mediterranean Kitchen, so there is food present at almost every meeting and event.
According to Abbas, the ACC encourages all students to join in and become a part of the club and they “invite younger students to join the board to learn to be the voices of tomorrow.”
Getting involved in the Arabic Culture Club is an excellent way to learn more about diverse cultures and also help transition international students into UL Lafayette’s Cajun culture.