Students will be able to see the diverse cultures at NIU today at “Showing Our True Colors,” a multi-cultural fashion show and ethnic fair.

“Showing Our True Colors” will be held today at the Blackhawk Cafeteria at 7 p.m. in the Holmes Student Center. Admission is free.

The event was coordinated by Stevenson Towers North resident assistants Koula Alemis, Nicole Bollinger, Lisa Katula and Jennifer Lloyd.

Bollinger said the idea originated from a similar program done last year by LaVern Danley III, a staff assistant in Douglas Hall and Kathy Nicholson, an RA in Stevenson Towers North.

Bollinger said the fair will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Booths at the fair will be represented by the NIU Foreign Studies Program, the Algonkin and Ojibway Indians, Egypt, Hong Kong, Ireland, Malaysia, Pakistan and the Unified Nations (Russia).

Ethnic costumes, ethnic foods, art and slide shows will be displayed at some of the booths, Bollinger added.

The fashion show will begin at 8 p.m.

“The models will be wearing clothing from their country,” Katula said.

As the models are displaying their typical dress, a brief description of the models, their ancestry and culture will be read by Danley, the emcee, she added.

Cultures represented in the fashion show are the Algonkin and Ojibway Indians, Hispanic, African-Aerican, Greek, Unified Nations (Russian), Egyptian, Malaysian, Indian, Pakistan and Guatemalan, Katula said.

Between the modeling there will be dancing. There will be three dance groups and each represents a different culture.

The dance groups are the Native American Dancers, Danca Quente and American Taps, Bollinger said.

In addition to the dancing there will be jazz music provided by “Clear Vision” at intermission and at the closing of the show, Bollinger said.

The goals of the program are “to honor the diverse cultures at NIU and make people more aware of the different cultures here,” Bollinger said.

The event is co-sponsored by the Residence Hall Association, Stevenson North Hall Council and Glidden Florist.