Special Performances
\n
10:15 - 11 am \; // Performing Arts
Angel Rose Artist Col lective (ARAC) is a Two-Spirit Transgender Native-led group that centers h ealing through the arts. Named in honor of Angel Rose\, a 21 year old Tran s Woman who lost her life on December 10\, 2019\, who was an integral part of the collective. ARAC strives to provide artistic opportunities for LGB TQIA+ BIPOC\, particularly Trans and Intersex folks with disabilities\, mi grant/refugee backgrounds\, low- or no-higher education status\, and other experiences that may affect a human being&rsquo\;s access to the arts. Th ough ARAC&rsquo\;s main avenue of expression is theater\, the collective i s made up of multidisciplinary artists\, including\, but not limited to: c lothing designers\, digital designers\, painters\, dancers\, singers\, tea ching artists\, puppet makers\, poets\, drag performers\, dubbing artists/ voice actors\, and more. Visit ARAC&rsquo\;s website: www.AngelRoseArts.or g \;
\nYek Peyna Guxgatan (Good Morning\, El Salvador/Buenos Dia s\, El Salvador) is a heartwarming story about a Salvadoran-American grand child visiting her grandmother in El Salvador for the first time\, and dis covering their Indigenous history and language through song. Yek Peyna Gux gatan is directed\, music direction facilitated\, and choreography facilit ated by Melissa Strova Valencia (she/her)\, and dramaturgy by Nanzin Anast acia Lopez Lopez (she/her) and Petrona Xemi Tapepechul (she/her). Ahanu Fr om the Blood (they/them) is Co-Puppet Designer (along with Strova Valencia )\, Co-Set Designer (along with Tapepechul) \; &\; Prop Designer\; Phoenix Sweeney (fae/faer/faer {neo}\, it/it/its\, &\; hit/hit/hits {ar chaeo}) is Light Designer\; and Strova Valencia and Tapepechul are Co-Cost ume Designers. The production cast features: Petrona Xemi Tapepechul (she/ her) as Puppeteer\; and Veronica Gomez Giraldo (she/her) as Musician.
\ n\n
11:15 am - 12 pm \; // \; Fo lkdance
\n
Established in 1985\, MABUHAY\, INC. was organized in response to a felt need in the Filipino American community f or a support group &mdash\; a network of individuals\, families and their friends who have similar concerns about assimilation into the American mai nstream\, interracial marriages\, raising biracial children\, and maintain ing ties with the &ldquo\;old country&rdquo\; &mdash\; the Philippines.
\nGoals and Objectives
\nTo foster a better understanding of Ame
rican and Filipino culture among its members by providing a forum whereby
ideas\, hopes\, talents and skills may be shared and developed.
To pr
ovide emergency assistance to qualified persons in need.
To form a ne
twork of resident Filipino Americans to facilitate adjustment to life in t
he United States .
To foster an awareness and understanding of the Ci
vil Rights Act.
To develop\, promote and sponsor programs and activit
ies that advance the ideals of multiculturalism\, peaceful co-existence an
d harmony among all people.
12:30 - 1:15 pm \; /
/ \; Poetry Workshop and Reading
Buddah Desmond aka BDez (he / him / they / them)\, is a writer / poet\, artist\, singer\, entrepreneur\, health + wellness advocate\, and user experience (UX) professional based in the DMV. His writing highlights the gritty side of life\, while offering messages of hope\, love\, healing\, and resilien ce. He is the author of six poetry collections\, Prevail: Poems on Love\, Life\, and Politics (2012)\, Exotic Shifter (2014)\, From The Inside Out: A Poetry Collection (2020)\, shifting from the inside out: love poems (202 2)\, Everything I Miss(ed) At Home (2023)\, and Coming Up From the Downsid e: Finding Joy in Our Song (2024). \;
\nHe served as a panelist at the 2023 DC Black Pride Author&rsquo\;s Forum\, and performed at events such as Authors &\; Appetizers\, AWARE\, DC Refresh\, The Summit 2017: Healing Through Faith &\; Justice\, the DC Metro Scholastic Writing Aw ards\, and the Baltimore African American Book Festival. He is a member of Gamma Xi Phi\, a professional arts fraternity. And has served as a healin g leader in the DC-based arts + faith + social justice organization\, The Sanctuaries. \;About the workshop Finding Home (The Home Within)
\nThe topic for this workshop will highlight the journey many of us may g o on to find or create home. Often searching externally in physical spaces \, and within community\, family\, friends\, and our romantic relationship s&mdash\;before realizing it's the home we find or create within that's mo st important. \;
\n\nNotable Figures Tabling &\; More< /p>\n
11 am - 1pm \; // \; Facepainting
\n
Irene S Sitoski is The Pirate Girl Painter! I am a professional face painter\, ba lloon twister and henna artist serving the Maryland\, and Washington DC ar ea with over 18 years' experience bringing fantastic fun and creativity to parties of all kinds. From detailed full-face make-ups to cute glitter ta ttoos\, intricate Henna patterns and even a host of balloon animals\, I br ing fantasy and vibrant joy to every event. \;
\n
A
ll Day \; // \; Art Exhibit
Marilyn Gates-Davis\n
Having nurtured a passion for painting since childhood in southern Virginia\, Ma rilyn Gates-Davis has over 40 years of experience as an artist and continu es exploring and growing in her craft. A graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh\, she has over 30 years as a graphic designer\, lending her cre ative touch to the design of magazines\, books\, and various print materia ls. In addition to graphic design in her professional journey\, her true a rtistic purpose lies in portraying the black
\nculture in her figura tive work. Marilyn draws inspiration from personal stories and cherished c hildhood memories. She aims to create images that celebrate the essence of Black life. Through her paintings\, she strives to challenge negative ste reotypes and illuminate the inherent joy that permeates black culture. Eac h brushstroke is a testament to the grace\, strength\, dignity\, and love that define Black people. She has received first juried awards in Prince G eorge&rsquo\;s County Juried Exhibitions\, first place in the Maryland Fou ndation Art &ldquo\;Voices of our Ancestors&rdquo\; Juried Exhibition and has sold her work nationwide. She has had two solo shows in the past three years. In her work\, she predominantly uses acrylics and oil paints to br ing her vision to life. She also ventures into the realm of collage\, util izing cut paper and other organic\, textured materials to add depth and di mension to her work. Through her art\, she aspires to shed light on Black individuals' untold stories\, struggles\, and triumphs\, fostering a deepe r understanding and appreciation for our culture.
\nArtist Statement
\nPainting since a child in southern Virginia\, Marilyn Gates-Davis has over 40 years and counting as an artist and graphic designer. She has been designing magazines\, books\, and print materials in the Washington\ , DC metro area for most of that time. She is a figurative artist that typ ically paints intimate portraits of family\, the black culture\, as well a s iconic figures. To counteract negative stereotypes\, she chooses to depi ct the joy of the black culture through her paintings. Marilyn paints imag es that celebrate grace\, strength\, dignity and love of black people\, of ten utilizing her art to share personal stories and childhood memories. Ma rilyn paints primarily in acrylics and oils. She also creates collage work using cut paper\, acrylic paint and other organic textured materials. Whi le there is much diversity in her work\, her goal is to take the everyday images and life experiences and elevate them to tell stories that connect us all.
\n\nAll Day \; // \; Read and Relax with Welc ome Wagon books
\n
If you need a quiet moment during the festive day children and their adults can take a moment to read one of our 15 books from the W elcome Wagon. Explore themes of kindness and belonging during our special day of celebrating cultures. The Welcome Wagon was gifted by Welcoming Ame rica and Bob McKinnon&rsquo\;s non profit organization\, Moving Up Media L ab. Notably\, you can find the newly released book by McKinnon in the wago n\, America&rsquo\;s Dreaming.
\nAll Day \; // \; UMD&rsquo\ ;s Nutrition Extension program
\n