On June 15, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) hosted its annual Henna Fest in the library after school.
“Henna Fest has been a communal thing we’ve had throughout the years,” co-secretary, and incoming Co-Vice President Yassin Elabidi said. “It’s always been our end-of-the-year event. It not only raises money for things we need throughout the year, as well as charity, but it also is a way to build a community, not just for Muslims, but also as a general Townsend Harris community.”
Junior Humayra Bhuiyan, Muslim Interscholastic Student Tournament Coordinator, and incoming Co-Vice President, said that one of Henna Fest’s primary goals is “just bringing [community together] and extending it to other people all over the school, and having people that aren’t Muslim or part of MSA come, enjoy it with us, have fun, and eat some good food.”
Senior and Co-President Thaseena Anjum said organizers included a hijab station where students could try on hijabs of different colors and styles while learning about their significance in Islam. Other popular activities included games such as a spin-the-wheel station, where students could also win prizes. Prizes ranged from prayer mats and stuffed animals to the opportunity to “pie a senior,” as well as a mini basketball game.
This year’s event featured guest speaker and Muslim Interscholastic Student Tournament Organizer Toshi Karim, who spoke about the importance of belonging and community. Ms. Karim said, “I hope that attendees take away a sense of community and belonging. It’s nice to just come together, have a nice time, eat good food, and have a sense of belonging.”
MSA advisor Nafiza Tarannum said the event provides students with an opportunity to learn about cultures outside of their own experiences.
“MSA is a huge club at Townsend Harris, so it really brings the community together,” Ms. Tarannum said. “Not everyone here is Muslim, not everyone here is from South Asia either. So, it’s a really great community event.”
Students who attended the event said they enjoyed both the atmosphere and the opportunity to connect with others. Junior Abdul Rafi described the event as “fun, community, and great.”
Similarly, sophomore Trisha Musurker said events like Henna Fest help students learn about different cultures and traditions. “It’s really fun,” Trisha said. “It’s just a great way to spend time.”
“Sometimes, especially going to a school like Townsend Harris, you can get kind of sucked into all the academics,” Ms. Karim said. “I think it’s nice to kind of take a break and get outside of that bubble and just kind of hang out.”
