Politics & Government

Multicultural Festival Honoring Dr. King Also Is a La Mesa Centennial Event

Speakers include Shirley Weber, professor of Africana Studies at San Diego State University.

The federal holiday honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is Monday, but La Mesa stages its own recognition the following Sunday, Jan. 22, with the 16th annual Multicultural Festival.

Sponsored by the city's Human Relations Advisory Commission, the free event is set for 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial Drive.

It’s also being promoted as one of the city’s first centennial events of the year.
Featured entertainment includes appearances by the Helix Charter High School Bagpipe Band, Ballet Folklorico of Centro Cultural de la Raza and Sifu Dwight Love of Chinese Martial Arts Group.

Shirley Weber, professor and department chair of Africana Studies at San Diego State University, will serve as guest speaker.  Weber is a candidate for state Assembly in the 79th District, which includes La Mesa.

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Last year's speaker (see attached video) was James Kitchen, vice president for student affairs at San Diego State.
 
The Human Relations Award of Excellence also will be presented to local middle school students “who model attributes that help foster mutual esteem, justice and equity, and ensure the dignity and integrity of every individual on a consistent basis and in a variety of settings,” the city says.

For more information about the Multicultural Festival, call 619-667-1120.

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