####Ally Week

Between April 9 and 13, SLICE, in collaboration with Anchorage, Health Promotion Office and Reach, organized Ally Week. The aim of this week-long campaign was to spread awareness among community members of the meaning of allyship and how we can support one another on campus. All of the groups collaborated to organize consent based workshops such as Safe Zone Training and Bystander Intervention Training.

Laura Waltje, class of 2017, President of Anchorage, spoke about the role of allies and their importance in communities.

“I have very mixed feelings about the effectiveness and role of allies in marginalized communities and so in the organization of ally week, instead of looking outward to what I want from others, I looked inward. I asked myself what I needed to know to be a better ally to those communities with whom I want to stand. So often, we slip unintentionally back into our echo-chambers. While it is hard for me to judge, my hope is that the week sparked thoughts and conversations,” said Waltje.

####Desert Overnight Camping Trip

The class of 2020 students had their overnight desert camping trip on April 14 after the original trip two months ago was cancelled at the last minute due to bad weather. The trip was organized by the Office of First Year Experience and consisted of activities such as dune bashing, camel riding, quad biking, a belly dancing show and a dinner under the stars. “For me, quad biking right after sunset and sleeping under the stars were the best parts,” said Ekin Başaran, class of 2020. “Even though we had many activities to do, it was a peaceful break from campus.”

####African and Caribbean Night

On April 13 African and Caribbean pop songs pumped through the East Plaza at NYU Abu Dhabi as students and community members filled the space as part of the African and Caribbean Night celebration. Organized by the Student Interest Group Africa Global, the event showcased arts and cultural practices from different African countries through booths scattered around the East Plaza. It also included a fashion show, poetry and spoken word performances, dance routines and singing.

“It was nice to see everyone dance and enjoy soca music from my home,” said Dania Paul, class of 2020. “I loved to see the solidarity shown among the African and Caribbean community on campus, which I feel is largely underrepresented on campus.”

####NYU Abu Dhabi Students Perform at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi

As part of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi’s Art After Dark event on April 15, Attitude Dance Society performed a dance piece inspired by the work of artist Susan Hefuna. Hefuna’s work focuses on themes of intersections and crossroads. In March, the 12 students had a two-day workshop with Hefuna to understand the meaning behind her art pieces. Throughout the weeks leading up to the performance, the students developed their own choreography through several improvisation sessions.

“Attitude's collaboration with the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi was a great opportunity for getting to know a large institution from a student-led group point of view. The experience made us think about awareness and how the presence of people influences us everywhere we go,” said Daniel Rey, class of 2020.