Kent African Student Association will host the Taste of Africa tonight at 8 p.m. in Oscar Ritchie Hall in Room 250.

Those attending will get a chance to sample traditional African dishes including beef, rice, chicken wings and samousas, which are small portions of beef wrapped in dough, said KASA President Tristian Holmes. Attendees will also play a game of African trivia.

This is KASA’s first meeting of the year. Former KASA president, Dr. Christopher Williams is scheduled to speak. He became one of the first presidents of the organization after it was formed in 1969. Williams will speak on his experiences with the group and why KASA is an important organization to the campus.

The meeting, and the organization as a whole, is a chance for students to learn about social issues that are affecting Africa, Holmes said.

“AIDS and genocide aren’t dead issues,” he said. “People are still dying. We are still responsible for these diseases.”

To address these issues, the group brings speakers to campus to facilitate discussions about it.

Besides addressing issues, another purpose of KASA is to educate students about African history. Holmes said he thinks this is important because the start of civilization is traced back to Africa.

“If they learn about it, then they can get a better appreciation for their own history,” Holmes said.

Contact diversity reporter Kelly Petryszyn at [email protected].