VENTURA — Ventura College announces the 10th Annual Holistic Health Festival and fourth Annual Diversity in Culture Festival, held respectively Tuesday, April 9 and Wednesday – Thursday, April 10-11, 2019. These are free events and the public is invited.
The Holistic Health Festival is sponsored by the Ventura College Holistic Health Club and the Student Health Center. The festival will feature holistic health practitioners, mind/body movement, massage, pet therapy, a silent auction and more. Tuesday, April 9, 2019, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The Diversity in Culture Festival is a two-day event that features a variety of educational opportunities including guest speakers, panel discussions, visual & performing arts, films, student organizations, food and a marketplace.
“The Diversity in Culture festival is one of the premiere instructional events at Ventura College. Part of the mission of our college is to ‘serve as the educational and cultural heart of our community.’ We know that exposure to diversity in and out of class will foster and promote both intercultural competence and emotional intelligence,” Dr. Damon A. Bell, Ventura College President.
Poster Art Winner by Danny Blues
The Festival provides a venue for supporting diversity topics reflected in the campus and the local community. Events are geared to educate and stimulate discussions regarding various cultural beliefs and traditions, diversity as portrayed in books, films and art, physical and mental differences and gender identity.
Festival organizer Gigi Fiumerodo states, “Diversity is often defined in many ways. The goal of the festival is to provide opportunities for our students and community to experience all it can be and hopefully learn more about our world and each other. Usually the discovery lies in that we are all more similar than we are different. Additionally, we hope the festival provides an opportunity for gathering, connectivity and healing for our community.”
Highlights of this year’s festival include:
Wednesday, April 10
8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Autism Accommodations Panel discussion regarding best practices for individuals on the autism spectrum.
10 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Immigrant Stories of Teachers, with VC Faculty
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Danza Azteca Xochipili, traditional Aztec dance performance.
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Making Friends with Yourself Becca Peters, LCSW, Mindfulness + Self-Compassion
4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Rights! Camera! Action! Viewing and discussion of the following short films: Period. End of Sentence, A Night at the Garden and Elder.
Thursday, April 11
9 a.m. – 9:40 a.m. The Decent Folk Performance, Scottish and Irish Folk Songs
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Fourth Annual Poetry Slam, VC students will compete for cash prizes with their own poetry, inspired by the themes central in this year’s “One Book, One Campus” selection, Hope Jahren’s Lab Girl.
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Jahny Wallz: A Storytelling Performance of Hispanic Identity & Culture through Music.
Nick Vujicic. Courtesy photo.
12 p.m. – 2 p.m. Speaker, Nick Vujicic, “Attitude is Altitude” Born without limbs for no medical reason, Nick Vujicic knew from an early age that he was different. But it wasn’t until much later that he realized his mission: to use his “disability” to start conversations that change lives.
1 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Ixiim: A Maiz-Based Philosophy, Professor Roberto Cintli Rodriguez from Mexican-American Studies at the University of Arizona will discuss the Ancient Maya and the association of their civilization to the corn crop
The full event schedule can be viewed at www.venturacollege.edu/diversityfest
Both events are located on the East side of campus, behind and adjacent to the Learning Resources Center. The nearest parking for the main festival areas is in the East Lot on the corner of Telegraph and Day Roads. Parking is $2 and permits can be purchased at self-service kiosks.
About the Diversity in Culture Task Force: The task force is comprised of Ventura College volunteers including faculty, staff and students. The goals of the Diversity in Culture Task Force are to provide educational opportunities for greater awareness and understanding of diversity (both globally and locally), to foster connections and alliances with community services, to utilize various methods to promote diversity- events, presentations, displays, and to engage faculty, staff, and students to support and promote inclusion and representation of diverse populations.
About Ventura College: Started in 1925, Ventura College is an accredited two-year institution of higher education within the Ventura County Community College District. The 112-acre campus has an enrollment of 14,500 students. It serves a diverse student body through credit and non-credit offerings. The college offers associate’s degrees in 33 majors, certificates of achievement in 35 career and technical education fields and proficiency awards in 26 fields.