Norwich celebrates ethnic diversity with food, music, friendship
Norwich — “Hospitality instead of hostility” was on display at the Howard T. Brown Memorial Park Thursday as more than 200 people enjoyed food, music, dance demonstrations and camaraderie from ethnic groups whose origins span the globe.
The third annual Norwich Rotary Cultural Diversity Event enjoyed perfect early fall evening weather even before event organizer Marlene Owen put her wish for “a beautiful night and people coming down to enjoy themselves” into her Illuminati bag that would be among dozens to be set onto the calm Norwich Harbor water as sunset arrived.
Adam Bowles of Jewett City, pastor of the multi-ethnic Peniel Church in Norwich and recipient of the Lottie B. Scott Norwich Rotary Diversity Award, said the event is an example of how Norwich should greet immigrants coming to Norwich, with “hospitality instead of hostility,” reaching out in friendship rather than shying away in wariness.
Bowles recalled Thanksgivings with his great grandmother when he was a young boy.
The elderly Russian Jewish immigrant loved to tell the story of her arrival in the United States fleeing religious persecution in Russia.
The elderly woman would come to tears describing how a teacher took her hand in welcome. “She touched my hand,” she said. “And I'm a Jew.”
Bowles was honored for numerous programs aimed at welcoming immigrant families to Norwich.
He has overseen outreach to English Speakers of other Languages at Norwich Adult Education and launched the Norwich Cup of Nations, a soccer tournament featuring immigrants from various nations.
In 2014 Bowles started Fresh Air Nation, a program that has immigrant families host paying guests in their homes, telling stories and sharing ethnic meals.
In 2013, Bowles launched “Norwich is Blended” in Norwich and Eastern Connecticut State University, a citywide Twitter event stressing ethnic diversity.
Norwich Rotary also presented Norwich Free Academy Director of Diversity Leo Butler with the Rotary's Paul Harris Fellow Service Beyond Self Award Thursday.
Diversity filled the air at the park, with young Peruvian dancers in brightly colored costumes skipping and running through the park to the music of the Jewish Klezmer band, Klezmenschen, while spectators enjoyed a Sikh rice and peas dish or curried chicken from Indian Grill & Mild Curry or even a helping of Southern style biscuits and sausage gravy from Olde Tymes Restaurant, with Lebanese baklava from Lazizah's Bake Shop for dessert.
“It's nice to see the number of people out on a Thursday night in Norwich enjoying food and music and diversity,” said KellyAnn Graves of Norwich. “We don't often talk about the positive events in Norwich, and this is a positive event.”
The Peruvian dancers drew attention from all corners of Brown Park in their Peruvian Independence Day bright multicolored embroidered dance costumes.
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The group has 15 dancers, all relatives from different Norwich families and ranging in age from 5 to 13, said Yvette Torvisco, 12, a student at Kelly Middle School following their performance.
The dancers were ready to reward themselves with pizza from the Brick & Basil mobile brick oven.
“We started with just a little group,” Yvette said, “and then more joined.”
“We're all cousins,” Amy Contreras, 12, said.
Diane, 12 and Joseph, 9, Carlosviza are siblings in the dance troupe. Several dancers smiled and admitted they were nervous performing in front of such a big crowd. They felt like celebrities.
“I was nervous, but not when we were dancing," Joseph Carlosviza said, “because that was fun.”
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