It is that time of year again to kick off the spring semester with the annual Cultural Inclusion Council (CIC) Fashion Show.  

Only a few short years ago as a way to prompt the formerly small council, both the Black Student Alliance (BSA) and the International Student Alliance (ISA) decided to host a show that combined culture with fashion. 

The first show was small, including the now BSA and the former ISA back when CIC was known as the Cultural Diversity Board until they re-named the council a few years ago. The Council has grown so much since then, now having five different alliances on Colorado Mesa University’s (CMU) campus as part of the council, from the Native American Student Association to the Ho’olokahi Polynesian Alliance. 

“We thought, what better way to incorporate music and dance and cultural wear, or cultural-specific wear, than a fashion show, so we thought that that was a great idea,” said senior Political Science Major Mahlet Mamo. 

Mamo is the Assistant Director of CIC, former Assistance  Black Student Alliance and was a model in the first CIC fashion show. 

“The Cultural Inclusion Council has been a big part of my university experience [and] has just really shaped the kind of leader that I want to continue to be, so it’s a really big part of my life,” said the coordinator. 

As a freshman, Mamo joined BSA to find others on campus like her in order to meet and share their experiences. 

“I joined it because after coming to CMU, I was making friends with people in predominantly white institutions. Obviously, I was spending all my time around other white people. So I thought it would be important for me to just touch base with other black people and really share that experience and burden with one another in a safe space.” said Mamo. 

It’s a black-tie event, “dress to impress,” so not only the models but the audience will be fashionable, with the aim of promoting others who are not in the show to share their culture with clothes. The event is not a fundraiser but is charging a ticket price to help cover some of the expenses such as a dinner and alcohol that will be served at a cash-only bar. 

When asked about how much money the show makes, Mamo had one answer. 

“In fact, we don’t make back how much we put into it. It’s a showcase, not a fundraiser. We really want to show the grander CMU campus about some of the cool things that we get to talk about every week in our different alliances and about our impact on this campus as well.” 

March 5th is the big event, a night full of culture, fun, and of course, FASHION!

Tickets are $20 regular admission and $25 VIP admission, which includes one free drink for those of age. Tickets can be purchased at coloradomesa.edu/tickets