“The week celebrated the 33 different cultures of the Patriot family,” Activities Director Brooke Slayton said. “Unity Week has been something we have been trying to put together for the past three years. It was developed to highlight and celebrate the communities that make up our campus.”
Students at the Tuesday fashion show modeled traditional clothing from Mexico, parts of Africa, and Peru.
On Wednesday Spanish teacher Marycoco Ramirez taught students the salsa, cumbias, merengue, and bachata. “Dance and music are just two of the many ways that one can experience culture. They are great tools to teach, inspire and bring people together,” Ms. Ramirez said. “They represent some of the cultures found within our beautiful country and the 21 Spanish speaking countries.”
Cultural activity booths Thursday included origami-making, zen gardens, pinatas, quinceanera dresses, embroidery, a Black history trivia game hosted by Young Women Empowered for Leadership, Indian cultural clothing and jewelry, and cultural candy.
The Bakersfield College Folklorico dance group Ballet Folklorico Ritmo y Sabor performed on the outdoor stage at lunchtime Friday. The 15-minute dance performance by Latina women “told a story of how beautiful the country and culture of Mexico truly is,” according to Liberty Parent Liaison Carolina Cavazos, whose daughter, senior Cecilia Duran, is a member of the dance group.
Brooke Slayton said of the special week: “It’s also easy to feel excluded, and Unity Week is a way to include all types of cultures and student backgrounds in our day-to-day campus life. This was a small launch but overall super positive week.”