Cleveland State Community College will be hosting the sixth annual Multicultural Fair on Saturday, April 6, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the courtyard outside the L. Quentin Lane Gymnasium. There will be an African Traditional Dress Fashion Show and Native Tongues Welcome during the Opening Ceremony at 10 a.m. with a Parade of Nations to follow at 10:15 a.m. The fair is designed to celebrate different cultures living in Bradley County. Admission to the fair is free and the community is invited to attend this event.
Cleveland State Community College was awarded an Access and Diversity Grant that totaled $66,325 and is a three-year program enhancement grant that will be used to support CSCC’s annual Multicultural fair. This grant will enable additional educational programs and displays to be presented on various cultures. It will also involve expanding the fair to include more exhibits, guest presentations, additional food, and more interactive educational presentations with audience participation.
“The Multicultural Fair has been a very successful spring event at Cleveland State for the past few years, and we hope this year will be even more successful, stated Jana Pankey, assistant professor of the Human Services/Social Work program and project director. “Cleveland is becoming more diverse, and this is a great way to learn about different cultures and celebrate diversity.”
The fair will feature a colorful parade of nations, culturally based entertainment, and diverse food catered from Food Is Good (FIG) of Cleveland, international studies information, booths featuring different nationalities, children’s games and activities, various civic and social service organization displays, performances by Filipino dancers, St. Therese Spanish Youth Dancers, the Cleveland Community Jazz Band, Cleveland State Chorus, and Vocal Rhapsody.
New to the fair this year will be an Amateur Cultural Photography Contest. This contest is open to students, members of the community, youth, faculty, and staff. Each contestant can submit up to three photographs, one per category. There are five categories: Americana, Beyond our Borders, People to People, Budding Artists for those 17 and under, and Faculty and Staff. The entry deadline is Wednesday, April 3 and entries will be displayed at the CSCC Multicultural Fair on April 6 for judging by fair attendees. For a complete list of contest rules or to view submissions online, please visit csccphoto.wordpress.com.
“Everyone interprets culture in a unique way, and we thought a photography contest would be a great opportunity to demonstrate that,” stated Becca Tedesco, library assistant. “It's a chance for people to be creative and share pictures from their travels, family vacations, community events, daily activities, or any other scenario they can think of. The entries will be on display at the fair, so anyone who attends will be able to vote for their favorites!”
Dr. Carl Hite, CSCC president, said, “We are always excited about our Multicultural Fair. The college realizes the importance of our students and their various cultures, and this event is the opportunity to bring all of these different cultures together.”
For more information on the upcoming CSCC Multicultural Fair, please contact Jana Pankey at 423 478-6230 or 423 473-2438.