Race Unity Day is multicultural
San Antonio Express-News
Web Posted : 07/13/2003 12:00 AM
Celebrating diversity was the theme of the day as people of all races and religions joined together Saturday to promote harmony at the sixth annual Race Unity Day.
Country and western singer Dino Fox performs during Race Unity Day at the Villita Assembly Building.
Edward A. Ornelas/Express-News |
Organized by the Baha'i community of San Antonio, the event was a celebration of people's differences.
"It really has to do with people playing together, being together — understanding that their differences are what makes them incredible and unique," said Winifred Barnum, the event's executive director.
Barnum added that the celebration is also aimed at eliminating fears and misconceptions that people have about one another.
"It is about bringing everybody together," she said.
About 75 people milled about the Villita Assembly Building, 104 Villita St., early Saturday afternoon enjoying the live entertainment and sampling food from various cultures, including Persian, Vietnamese and Colombian.
Barnum said the multicultural event was expected to draw several hundred people throughout the day.
Melissa Wood of San Antonio was attending Race Unity Day for the second year.
"It represents something that's very important — that people shouldn't have discrimination," she said.
Aside from that, "the food is good because you get a wide variety of different cultures."
The festivities also featured face painting and booths that displayed jewelry and African artifacts.
Mariame Wilkins, a San Antonio resident originally from West Africa, had a booth featuring traditional African decorations and garments, such as the colorful Kente fabric worn as a sash or headwear.
Wilkins said she enjoyed Saturday's event because, "the more we get together ... the more we will know each other, and we will get along."
sgarza@express-news.net
07/13/2003
©Copyright 2003, KENS 5 and the San Antonio Express-News (TX, USA)
Following is the URL to the original story. The site may have removed or archived this story. URL: http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=180&xlc=1024874
