come TOGETHER

for much of the year, Spokane has a monocultural look.

For the larger population, living here often feels like walking past polar bears on the Arctic ice, if you catch my drift.

The same holds true with the Inland Northwest as a whole.

That’s one reason why, 10 years ago, a group of folks involved with Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church organized an event that has evolved from an afternoon picnic for 200 into what is now an all-day festival of food and games, arts and crafts and entertainment that attracts 1,500 or more visitors.

Called Unity in the Community, the free event will celebrate its 10-year anniversary from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in Liberty Park.

The key word that event organizers use is “diversity.”

“I think it’s a myth that Spokane is not diverse,” says Angela Brown, a member of the organizing committee and past committee chair. “It’s not a metropolitan city like Seattle, for example. But we have our own diversity in this community. And this is one of the events that I see really represents that.”

Of course, Spokane and the surrounding areas don’t lack for public events, especially those offering art as well as entertainment. In addition to the larger fairs and festivals, arts-oriented events include Spokane’s Artfest in the spring, Coeur d’Alene’s Art on the Green during the summer and Spokane’s Inland Craft Warnings during the fall.

Despite its one-day duration, Unity in the Community offers that extra ingredient, which event co-chair Garret Daggett calls “a celebration of our diversity.”

In a guest column written for The Spokesman-Review two years ago, Bethel AME Church pastor Lonnie Mitchell, one of the event’s founders, explained the point of that celebration when he wrote, “What is Unity in the Community all about? It is trying to challenge all people to value differences and use the strength of diversity to build true community in our city.”

In that spirit, performers representing several subcultures, some more a visible part of Spokane life than others, will take the stage throughout the day on Saturday. Along with African-American poetry and record spinning, the Bethel AME Church choir and a Brazilian singer/guitarist duet and Hawaiian hula and Middle Eastern dancers will perform for the crowd.

And did we say that it’s all free and open to the public? Not just the entertainment, but also the various family-friendly features.

“There’s all kinds of arts and crafts,” Daggett says. “We’re gonna have games, activities, a bouncing castle.”

Kids will love that last one.

“The booths have grown, the entertainment has grown,” Brown says. “And I think the diversity of what we’re doing has grown, which is important.”

More than 50 booths will offer information on area education, business and agency organizations. One of those agencies, Partners with Families & Children, will donate two bicycles as door prizes.

Some of the booths may provide information about the Spokane subcultures that won’t be represented on stage: Prominently missing on the performance menu are area Native American tribes, the Asian (Hmong, Vietnamese, Indian, Sikh) and Spokane’s growing Spanish- and Russian-speaking communities (representing such countries as Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan and more).

“We wanted to get all of the groups involved,” Brown says. “That’s always been our goal. … Some communities are a little tighter to break into than others, but it doesn’t mean that we’re not trying.”

If it’s going to happen, no event would better serve that purpose.

“Unity in the Community was one to say, ‘Listen, we have all of these different communities that have such culture,’ ” Daggett says. ” ‘ Let’s bring them together and showcase it, and allow people to come out and have a wonderful day of entertainment and exposure to these different cultures, and possibly walk away with a greater understanding.’ “

Performance highlights

The record spinners: Beginning at 10 a.m., DJ Grand Groove (Tony Brown) and DJ Brainchild (James Singleton)

(See page 5 for more on DJ Brainchild.) will play snippets of funk, soul, jazz, R&B and more during their half dozen appearances throughout the day.

Poetry (11:05-11:25 a.m.): Spokesman-Review and 7 staff writer Isamu Jordan will perform his literary efforts.

Northwest Hula Co. (11:45 a.m.-noon): Hawaiian native Sheri Maier’s Hawaiian dance company will perform ancient and modern hulas and the hip-shaking Tahitian dances.

Brazilian songs (1-1:20 p.m.): Brazilian singer Silvia Lazo performs with guitarist Paul Grove.

Bethel AME choir (1:20-1:40 p.m.): Choir will perform Gospel songs.

HYPER-Formance (2-2:30 p.m.): Group will demonstrate Hip-hop dances.

Middle Eastern dancing (2:30-3 p.m.): Cynthia Smith and Victor Azar perform traditional dances.