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Volume 41, Issue 7
December 2, 2003
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December 2, 2003
Students add to children's festival
program builds cultural understanding through communication
Kimberly Hosey
Mesa Legend
Sylvester Stallone, Frank Sinatra and other prominent Italians were showcased
Nov. 15, while India, to the south, and Asia, to the north proudly displayed
native wares at the International Children’s Festival, held by Mesa’s
Community Asset & Resource Enterprise (CARE) Partnership.
The festival marked the second celebration of diversity by the CARE Partnership,
and is designed “to help build appreciation, understanding and respect
for diversity by sharing traditions through games, crafts, music, dance,
fashion, demonstrations and displays,” according to Bev Tittle Baker,
event organizer and president and CEO of CARE.
Yaqi Wang and Asuka Yamataki, both MCC students, represented Asian culture
through games and traditional toys.
“English isn’t our first language, so we can really appreciate
the opportunity for communication,” Yamataki said, demonstrating
a Japanese yo-yo. Wang represented Chinese culture and tradition. Both
students demonstrated their respective languages by writing the names
of “tourists” on hats, clothing or paper.
Tu Dang and Nina Nguyen, also MCC students, illustrated other aspects
of Asian culture, through arts and crafts and helping attendees use chopsticks.
Dang, Nguyen, Yamataki and Wang are members of MCC’s student club
Asian-Pacific Islander Coalition, which works “to build a greater
awareness and appreciation for cultural heritage of Asian-Pacific islanders”
according to its write-up on MCC’s website.
Celebrations of Italian and Asian customs melded with those of many other
cultures, including India, Africa, North America and Central America.
Attendees learned about India’s clothing and religion, North American
and Central American customs and worldwide influence and African song
and crafts. Children – and the adults who took advantage of the
event – could make African hats, view artwork depicting Hindu gods,
eat and experience the different cultures in many other ways. There was
also a “just for fun” face-painting booth and a booth representing
Service for Peace, a community service and learning organization that
strives to strengthen international ties and emphasizes communication
and volunteering.
Baker said the event was a success, and added that it helps foster community
relations as well as international awareness.
“The event was as much for the participants as for the people who
came,” Baker said. “Lots of students from different cultures
volunteer, and this is a way for them to get acquainted.”
The CARE Partnership evolved out of a natural need, as well as from the
passion and communication of individuals such as Baker. Baker said the
organization started when children asked to use her yard as a meeting
place during the summer, and eventually, after school.
She realized these children had nowhere to go, and wanted to help support
them.
This gave rise to a latch key program for elementary students. From there,
the program grew quickly, and now includes a pediatric clinic, a mobile
medical clinic, prenatal care, a food bank, Service for Peace projects,
ESL and adult education, family community leadership training workshops
and more.
The CARE Partnership now supports 18,000 people a year, Baker said.
“We picked up the loose ends; we got innovative,” Baker said.
“We look at issues, many times survival issues, and try to look
at ways people can address these things.
“We started clothing exchanges, we networked, we got in touch with
doctors and pediatricians – whatever we can do,” she added.
Since the latch key program and the partnership’s start almost 10
years ago, MCC has been one of its strongest community partners, Baker
said.
“We typically have about 70 students working with us each year,
through service learning,” Baker said. “Each student has a
talent, so I try to let them choose what to do – activities with
the children such as art, music, crafts, dance, writing newsletters, tutoring,
reading – whatever they’re passionate about.”
The opportunity for students to meet one another and communicate was one
of the biggest accomplishments of this year’s festival, according
to Baker.
“This year, the students actually requested the event,” Baker
said.
“It’s really about the relationships,” she added, stressing
the importance of relationships between community partners and between
people.
“This is the way it should be all over – it’s such a
natural way to operate,” Baker said.
The International Children’s Festival is planned to continue next
year, and Baker said she would like to make it a signature event in the
future.
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