Una Fiesta para la Familia

Clark’s annual Latino cultural celebration draws crowd of all ages

Diversity Outreach Coordinator Rosalba Pitkin with her daughter before performing with the Baile Foklorico.

In the early evening of April 28, Gaiser Student Center was filled with music, conversation in two languages and the laughter of children as Clark College featured its annual Celebración de Mi Gente.

Themed Día del Niño/Día del Libro (Day of the Child/Day of the Book), the evening included family-friendly activities celebrating Latino culture. Children crafted their own books, played the Mexican card game Lotería, had their faces painted and read bilingual Spanish-English books with students from Clark College Spanish classes.

Hugo Nava provided a bilingual concert and award-winning author Carmen “T” Bernier Grand spoke about her childhood in Puerto Rico. A buffet of food from Panadería Cinco de Mayo kept bellies big and small happy. The Baile Foklórico performed traditional dances. More than 250 members of the community participated in the event—including Clark’s own Oswald, who posed for pictures with many of the littlest guests.