LEWISTON, Idaho – Previously just a weeklong celebration, Lewis-Clark State College will now hold a Multicultural Awareness Month with 14 events planned throughout September.
The variety of events, which will take place both in person and on Zoom, feature presentations, food, trivia, a panel discussion and an exhibit to celebrate the different cultures throughout the world. A talk about the media by Sueann Ramella, “Morning Edition” host, producer and interim program director at Northwest Public Broadcasting, is one of the highlights of Multicultural Awareness Month.
All events are free and open to the public, and the college’s COVID-19 protocols will be followed. Face coverings are required indoors. This and other protocols may be found on the college’s Coronavirus web page.
All online events, except for the Thursday night trivia, will use the Zoom link https://lcsc.zoom.us/j/84852964983. Thursday night trivia will use the Zoom link: https://lcsc.zoom.us/j/96344830984 and the password is trivia.
Ramella is the keynote speaker for the month and will discuss “Your Attention and Representation: Examining Your Relationship with the Media” on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Williams Conference Center and on Zoom. Ramella will discuss how to evaluate images and information that are expressed on social media and through traditional media.
Ramella began working at Northwest Public Radio in 1997. In 2000, she became the host of “All Things Considered” and then switched to hosting the “Morning Edition” in 2008.
Ramella’s talk is one of two on Sept. 7, which kicks off the events. At noon, LC State political science professor Leif Hoffmann will talk about “Cross-Cultural Communication.” His talk will be in Room 143 of the Student Union Building/Center for Student Leadership and accessible through Zoom.
On Sept. 8, the LC State Native American Friendship Lunch will be held at the Pi’amkinwaas, located at 1112 7th St. in Lewiston. The lunch runs 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
On consecutive Thursday nights during the month, starting on Sept. 9, there will be a Kahoot Around the World trivia contest at the SUB/CSL and on Zoom, starting at 6 p.m. Prizes will be available.
The second week of events kicks off on Sept. 13 with Jace Saplan discussing “Queen Lil’uokalani: Reclaiming the Sonic Hawai’i” at 7 p.m. at the WCC and on Zoom. Saplan is president of the Hawai’i Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association and an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Queen Liliuokalani was the last monarch in Hawaii but was disposed by a United States military-backed coup in 1893, just two years after she took over the throne.
On Sept. 15, a showing of the 2015 documentary/drama “Landfill Harmonic” will be shown at 7 p.m. at the WCC. LC State’s Edgar Galeano, who was nominated for a Latin Grammy last year, will lead a discussion following the showing. “Landfill Harmonic” follows the Recycle Orchestra of Cateura, a Paraguayan musical group that plays instruments made entirely out of garbage pieces found in the landfill of their community. When their story goes viral, the group ends up navigating in a strange new world of sold-out arenas and concerts. The group then has to find a balance when a natural disaster hits their community.
In the third week, there will be a panel discussion on identity titled “Click All That Applies.” It will be held at noon on Sept. 21 on Zoom. On the following day also at noon, Warrior Wednesday will feature an “Identity Art Project” near the main entrance to the SUB/CSL.
As part of the LC State Leadership Series, LC State associate professor of anthropology Kerensa Allison will examine “Ecuador Field School” at noon-1 p.m. on Sept. 23 in Room 143 of the SUB/CSL and on Zoom. Allison leads the college’s Ecuador Program where students are selected to complete a 15-week course on Ecuadorian culture and research methodology before visiting Ecuador for three weeks where students visit three geographic regions to experience biological and cultural diversity by working with Ecuadorian people on service-learning projects.
On Sept. 24, the art exhibit “Introducing Persian Culture to the West: The Land of Persepolis” will open at the LC State Center for Arts & History, located at 415 Main St. in Lewiston. The exhibit will run through December.
Multicultural Awareness Month concludes on Sept. 30 with a variety of cultural tables and presentations by LC State international students and others. This will run at noon-2 p.m. in Room 143 of the SUB/CSL.
Also during the month, the LC radio station, KLCZ, will play music from around the world. The LC Garden, located at 816 7th St. in Lewiston, will feature “Culture in the Garden.” The garden will host a display related to nature, place and food from around the world.
The annual event is sponsored by the college’s Multicultural Awareness Month Committee with support from the Office of the President; LC State Anthropology Club; Center for Teaching and Learning; Humanities Division; International Programs; Native American, Minority & Veterans’ Services; Native American Club; Social Sciences Division; Multicultural Student Organization; and the Spanish Club.
Members of the Multicultural Awareness Month committee are Allison, Galeano, Holly Daugherty, Rebecca Snodgrass, Manee Moua, Bob Sobotta, Ian Tippets, and Sam White Temple.
For more information on the week, contact Allison at klallison@lcsc.edu or 208-792-2348.