Students, faculty and staff of Clark State College gathered for the third annual Culture Fest this week to experience and celebrate different cultures, as well as to tackle hard topics.
The three-part event included a culture fair, a luncheon and a panel of speakers addressing the origins of hate.
The fair showcased student and employee traditions with art, food and fashion, and the Culture of Care luncheon featuring the Longest Table format.
“Our students, faculty and staff bring extraordinary stories, backgrounds and lived experiences to our campus,” said Nina Wiley, assistant vice president of student affairs at Clark State. “Culture Fest created a meaningful space for those to be shared and celebrated across our community.”
Judy Chesen moderated a panel of speakers addressing the origins of hate. Chesen has taught at Clark State for 13 years and has presented numerous conference papers on social and cultural history. She currently serves as the chair of the Dayton Jewish Community Center Cultural Arts and Book series.
Chesen said anyone can be an “upstander.”
The Upstander Project defines an upstander as the opposite of a bystander. An upstander takes action in defense of those who are targeted for systemic or individual harm or injustice.
“I think hate is something that, unfortunately, is a historical fact,” said Chesen. “We have to deal with it by trying to eradicate it. There are so many forms of hate…it has been directed — in some way, shape or form — to so many groups of people.”
The origins of hate are rooted in psychological, social, cultural and historical factors, she said, and people fear what they do not understand.
“Hate crimes have doubled in the last 10 years,” she said. “We have to be upstanders. We have to do something about it. We have to call people on it, and that’s hard to do.”
Originally from Lebanon and a Muslim, Elzein moved to Dayton in 1998, where he raised his family and had a career working for 16 years with the city of Dayton’s Department of Aviation, both as an employee and a consultant.
Elzein has also been exposed to hate from others due to his faith, he said during Culture Fest’s panel discussion. Elzein encourages getting out in the community and learning about one another, breaking bread and sharing stories.
“We are teachers, doctors, engineers and community members,” he said.
Wiley said the From Hate to Understanding panel provided an opportunity for learning and dialogue around diversity, tolerance and understanding, and she is grateful to those who contributed to the day of learning, reflection and belonging.
“At Clark State, we create spaces for students, faculty and staff to engage in meaningful dialogue around challenging topics,” said Wiley. “Culture Fest is a special event as it brings our campus together to celebrate and learn from one another, share a meal and fellowship and deepen our understanding of different cultures and perspectives.”
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