Charlie Martinez

Managing Editor

Unity Fest, an annual celebration of diversity sponsored by the Cultural Diversity Board (CDB) of Mesa State College, will take place April 21 to April 24. This year’s theme is “Opening Minds” and events are scheduled to take place all over campus. The Cultural Diversit y Board is made up of six cultural and ethnic groups and consist of the Gay-Strait Alliance, the international Student Association, the Ho’olokahi Polynesian Club, La Raza, the Black Student Alliance, and the Native American Student Council.

Events kick off on April 21 with MavFest, a collaborative event that includes other campus organizations such as the Associated Student Government, the Programming Activities Council, and other clubs. Food, games, and performances will last from 2-8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Quad.

Thursday, April 22 will feature arts and crafts from different cultures ranging from Maraca painting and hair braiding, to ti-leaf making and fry bread cooking lessons. “Unity through Arts and Crafts” will be held from 2-5 p.m. in the Fine Arts Quad.

“Unity through Spoken Word” will be held on Friday, April 23 in the Fine Arts Quad during school hours. It will consist of performances by several of the clubs in CDB as well as Words with a Pulse, a poetry slam group from New York.

Unity Fest wraps up on April 24 with “Unity through Performance,” consisting of Ho’olokahi’s 10th annual Polynesian Luau in Brownson Arena. The luau is a ticked event and tickets can be bought in advance for $14 or at the door for $16. A dinner is included and will start at 5 p.m. followed by perfomances at 5:30 p.m. The dinner will feature popular Polynesian and Hawaiian dishes including kalua pig, shoyu chicken, and more tastey treats. Ho’olokahi President Kami Higa said, “We are proud of our culture and what to sharit it within the Grand Valley.”

CDB’s goal is to highlight diversity among the students of Mesa State College. “Everybody can learn and gow from diversity,” said Lance “Pono” Ordonio, director of CDB. “Being from a different culture has made me realize there are many other diverse backgrounds to learn and gain from.”