Sonoma County celebrates its diversity

By LORI A. CARTER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Sunday, September 20, 2009

Race Equality Week, a sequence of community awareness events, ended Sunday with a festive afternoon of cultural arts, children’s activities, ethnic food and crafts.

The sixth annual showcase of Sonoma County’s cultural diversity kicked off last week with a community dinner at the Community Baptist Church in Santa Rosa. The event is designed to educate, inform and entertain the public about racial discrimination, racial equality and promotion of diversity.

On Sunday, Santa Rosa City Councilman Ernesto Olivares — the first Latino to win election to the council in the city’s 140-year history — served as emcee of the finale.

“It’s not just the mix of different people,” he said, “it’s the sharing – the sharing of music, the sharing of food, activities, the sharing of information to raise awareness of equality for everyone.”

“We celebrate this once a year,” he said, “but it is something we encourage year ’round.”

A ring of booths set up by non-profit groups, assistance organizations and ethnic businesses circled the Elsie Allen High School courtyard, where Chinese and Aztec dancers performed.

“We do the lion dance at all the happy events,” said Nancy Wang, president of the Redwood Empire Chinese Association. “And of course, diversity is a celebration too.”

Student Ben Nguyen and nonprofit organizer Olamina Newman made a connection at Newman’s booth, which was selling cupcakes and other items to fund children in Africa.

The Ghana Women’s and Children’s Collectives is trying to raise $4,000 to wire 17 classrooms and two offices in the village of Jissonaayili, Ghana, for electricity and computers.

“It’s amazing how excited the kids get about one pencil,” Newman said. “It warms my heart.”
Nguyen invited Newman to give a presentation to his Elsie Allen International Action club, which he said may donate to the cause.

“It’s important to get more youths involved,” said Nguyen, who recently spent time in Thailand and Cambodia. “They will learn skills that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.”