I am writing to congratulate the young women and men of Woman to Woman, La Mano, and Brother 2 Brother for a successful event on the Marietta campus. Your work to organize and facilitate the Multicultural Festival on October 25th is more important and impressive than you may realize. Your work helps to give students a voice, and by celebrating the myriad of different cultures at Georgia Highlands College it sets the stage to delve more deeply into issues of diversity. That’s important work. The fact that this event was an organic, student-led project speaks to your readiness and capacity to lead and create change. Not only did this festival draw a large student turnout, it drew parents and uncles and nieces and staff and faculty to the event—on a Saturday. That’s impressive.

In the future, I hope to see other student groups participate in these types of events, because race and ethnicity aren’t the ways that we are diverse. Veterans, women, LGBT+, honor, non-traditional, and disabled students each have a unique set of circumstances that shape their lives. Those experiences need to be represented and addressed as well.

I also want to acknowledge Lucky Landers and Adebayo Onabule for advising these groups. Your time and effort is greatly appreciated.