The SLAM!/USG table was set up to the direct left
of the stage which featured performers such as Full Cir-
cle, Nature, and Vegas, and provided hip-hop and reg-
gae music. Due to city and neighborhood association
imposed time constraints on outdoor amplified sound,
several acts were unable to perform. The acts that did
perform however, exemplified the talent that Hunter stu-
dents posess. I caught sight of several pairs of legs high
in the air as break-dancers took over the stage.

On the other side of the SLAM! table stood arguably
the best stress-relieving device around, an inflatable box-
ing ring. Free of cost, students battled each other with
oversized gloves until their cerebrums were spinning and
the breath was beaten out of them. While recovering
from his boxing defeat, Luis Fermin relayed: “The box-
ing ring was exhausting but fun.”

Luis, one of the many people coming in from outside
services, participated in the Street Fair as a representa-
tive from Youth Enrichment Services, an outreach pro-
gram offering counseling, information, and support for
Gay/Lesbian/BisexualTransgender/Questioning Youth.
“The Street Fair is helping unite youth, gay or
straight,” Luis volunteered. Staff leader and Program
Director Walter Hunt added, “I am having a good time
here as well. I feel like a generation gap is closing as
I haven’t felt like a youth for some time. I am
impressed at how many people are taking information
from our table.”

There were many other tables arranged on the street.
Organizations such as the Korean American Student
Union, Daughters of Africa, Puerto Rican Club, Gay
Men’s Alliance and Lesbians Rising, Free Tibet, Hait-
ian Club, and the Bangladesh Student Union were
among the many groups represented with welcoming
signs. The eclectic personality of Hunter was epito-
mized by the arrangement of club tables. I had trouble
deciding which tables to visit because each projected
a desire to be investigated. All were being repesented
by the colorful flyers and pamphlets being distributed.

While visiting the Bangladesh Student Union I
earned how to make a popular dish known as Jhalmuri.
l watched as chickpeas, onions, ginger, and chanachur
(a snack with dried-chickpeas) were thrown into a
Pringles can, and shaken. The concoction was then
poured into a plate for my hesistant and slightly fright-
ened tongue to taste. Needless to say, I survived the
food and was actually pleased to find it more than palat-
able. The Union encourages students of all ethnicities
to visit their club room.

Besides the free Bangladeshi food, other items were
gratis. The Chinese Student Union was distributing
free contraceptives neatly wrapped in discreet red
envelopes traditionally used for gifts during the Chi-
nese New Year. Nelson Ho said, “This is my first year
here. I love this Street Fair because it is helping peo-
ple open up to other cultures. My job today is to pro-
mote the club, give away free stuff, and try to get
people to come visit.”

Political and career oriented organizations were also
represented. The Chemistry Club displayed balloons
with the club’s emblem. There was also information
about the Anthropology Club, The Career Services
Center, The Health Services Center, as well as a table
for voter registration. Nader 2000 was a rather voal
group supporting Green Party presidential candidate
Ralph Nader in the upcoming elections.

Also represented was the Bahai Faith, an alterna-
tive organization committed to the idea of unity and
equality among all races. The sign hanging above their
table boldly stated, “Regard ye not one another as
strangers; ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves
of one branch.”

Overall, the Annual Hunter Street Fair was a suc-
cess; arguably better than previous years. Junior Juli-
ette Wertz captured the sentiment of many as she
conveyed, “I think this Street Fair is good for Hunter.
In a school where there are so many people and no
one talks to each other, it is nice to see people social-
izing. I feel a little cheesy with the games because this
is college, but it is nice to see some type of school
spirit”. My only complaint is that this organized pro-
moter of school spirit is not held each semester, but
only once a year.

NATHANIEL GREENBERG

NATHANIEL GREENBERG

PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA KLEIN, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

STREET FAIR SCENES. Clockwise from top: Capoeira Club rips it up; Hip Hop Advocates (2); Caribbean Student
Union does their part for the insane buffet that is Hunter; Palestinian club speakers testify about the tragic sit-
uation in Jerusalem; Columbian Club cutie dropping jaws as she belly dances to Shakira; Below, SLAM mem-
bers take a well deserved chill. Cynthia Carrion, on right, was one of the MCs for the day.

NATHANIEL GREENBERG

ELIZABETH BORDA

NATHANIEL GREENBERG

0002 ‘Lt 49q0199

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