DiverCity Fusion Festival to showcase diversity at Stonehill

By Tyler Salisbury

A wide range of performances, including song, dance, spoken word, and fashion, will be featured in Stonehill’s annual DiverCity Fusion Festival on April 10, 2026. 

The event will be held at 6 p.m. in the McCarthy auditorium and is sponsored by the SGA Diversity Committee and the Office of Intercultural Affairs, with the emphasis on celebrating cultural identity, not competition. 

Event organizer Angel Sor said the goal of DiverCity is to highlight the variety of identities represented on campus. 

“It’s to promote the diversity on campus and to highlight a lot of different identities in the Asian community, the Latin community, the LGBTQ+ community, neurodivergent community, and any communities that want to perform,” she said. “It’s also a celebration of everybody and what they bring to the table.” 

Co-organizer of DiverCity Teddi Nguyen Lydon, said a common misunderstanding, is that it is a talent show.  

“It’s a common misconception that it’s a talent show. It’s not a talent show,” Nguyen Lydon said, “It’s a celebration of all of those cultures and heritages. You can see that through song, music, artists, fashion and clothing lines.”  

Planning starts in early December, when students are asked to think of acts or to participate in the fashion part of the show. Interest forms are sent out over winter break, and auditions are held a few weeks after students return to campus. 

Nguyen Lydon said the event promotes inclusion by showing attention to diverse cultures and experiences.  

“Celebrating everybody and seeing the various cultures and heritages that are features in our performers helps create a sense of belonging,” she said. 

Nguyen Lydon said the event used to be in the Pettit Atrium, but they outgrew the space and moved to larger venues. Attendance numbers declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic but increased in recent years again, with recent festivals filling the McCarthy Auditorium. 

Organizers said they hope the event will keep bringing a sense of community to the campus and encourage a greater understanding and appreciation of diverse identities.