Thread: Diversity Day unites cultures

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Diversity Day unites cultures
By COLLEEN LEONARD
Submitted: October 4, 2006 10:26 AM CT

Latino dancers in coral red and black whirled across the gazebo Sunday on the Square. But many people didn't see color differences when they learned about other cultures at Diversity Day.

"There's a real need in this county for people to get a better understanding of each other," said Patrick Murfin, a co-host of the festival. "We can't live in cocoon worlds, where we don't come into a kind of contact that encourages us to talk to each other. Once a year, we try to get people together to look at each other and talk to each other."

The Congregational Unitarian Church in Woodstock has united McHenry County residents from different backgrounds for 11 years by holding the free festival.

The theme changes every year. This year's theme was "We're All Immigrants!" because of the recent debates around the country over illegal immigrants.

"All of us are immigrants. All of us are from some other country, whether it's first generation or fifth generation," said the Rev. Dan Larsen of the Congregational Unitarian Church.

Cultural groups share common experiences, no matter what their background, Murfin said. "All these cultures are built around family, working towards a better future for their children. That is common. All cultures have the same human needs for food and shelter. But also there are emotional needs for recognition, affection and respect."

Diversity Day started more than a decade ago when the Ku Klux Klan came to the McHenry County Courthouse to stage a rally.

The festival was created as an alternative, Larsen said. "Our theme is love, and we wanted to show that."

Descendants from about a dozen countries, such as Germany, Korea, Turkey and Mexico, were represented at the festival and shared stories, songs, dances and cultural displays.

Besides sharing cultural traditions, the festival committee has its own annual tradition of choosing a community leader for the McHenry County Peace and Justice Award.

Arielle Payne, 21, Lakemoor, was honored this year and is the youngest recipient of the award.

"The award is given to people whose work has been representative of building good relations, peace, justice and understanding in the county," Murfin said.

Payne, who is majoring in nursing, has served as president of the Black Student Union at McHenry County College and is an MCC student trustee. She started at MCC in the Running Start program, which allows high school students to take advanced classes for high school or college credit.

Outside of school, she is a nanny for seven children, ages 6 to 16, who lost their mother a couple of years ago. She also enjoys the piano and has played for 14 years.

"It's a big honor (to receive the award)," Payne said, "and I really hope that I can live up to it in the future and continue to help out my community."

"I'm just totally for working to become more diverse culturally," said Payne, adding that her heritage includes Irish, African-American, English, Dutch, German and Cherokee.

Many local organizations were also represented in the program or had booths to provide awareness about community services. Thresholds, which helps people with mental illness reclaim their lives, was one of those groups.

Diversity Day is a sign of hope, said Julie Gibson, program director of the McHenry County Thresholds. "It's a (needed) change, about being more inclusive and noticing how similar we are instead of how different we are."

Cyndi Hicks, Woodstock, another guest in the crowd, said, "It's something that I want to encourage with my children, to always involve everybody and never exclude anybody."

"There's a real need in this county for people to get a better understanding of each other," said Patrick Murfin, a co-host of the festival.

You dipwad!

There's a real need in this country/county for 'guests' to get a better understanding of what it is to be AMERICAN

Patrick, YOU need some training in "cause & effect" so I recommend we send YOU to the Darfur or Iran or, hey......pick a country pal.....any one of them would be an eye opener. Start small, go to the EU and see the mess that your diversity training has caused. You ass-inine mental midget.

I'm really sick of hearing the statement "We're all immigrants blah blah"
Yes that's true, but in no way shape or form does that give a valid excuse for BREAKING THE LAW!

And if they wanted to have "Diversity Day", where is the American celebration?

The festival was created as an alternative, Larsen said. "Our theme is love, and we wanted to show that."

Give me a break. Flower children of the 70s come to mind