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June 2015
Volume 17 Issue 6
The Alliance
The Alliance for Cultural
and Ethnic Harmony is
dedicated to promoting
unity, justice, equal
opportunity, ethnic
awareness, cross-cultural
understanding, and
appreciation for diversity
Inside
This
Issue:
Membership
2
Marvin Younger
2
News of ACEH Folks
2
Juneteenth
3
PRIDE Festival
3
Holland says: Come Have Fun
at Multicultural Festival June 13
Summer Service
Play Groups
A 501c3 organization
Board of Directors
Bobbie Brown
Rodrigo De Grau
Chris C.J. Kingdom Grier
Kenita Harris
Al Minert
Sheeba Winjoe
4
Holland’s annual Multicultural Festival is set for Saturday,
June 13, at Kollen Park, from noon to 6 pm. There will be
live music, dance, art, family activities, food, games,
prizes, and information tables. All the activities are free.
Performances include Raion Taikon, a Japanese drumming group;
Ballet Folklorico Sol Azteca, a local folk dance troupe; and the
Black River High School Truth in Jazz, student jazz ensemble.
Sponsored by the city's International Relations Commission, the
Festival "celebrates the diverse and inclusive Holland
community," said Esther Fifelski, human and international
relations manager.
Added to this year’s fun is the first-ever Multicultural Festival 5K
Run/Walk, which will start at Kollen Park at 9 am. To register,
email [email protected]
John Yelding
Marvin Younger
Board advisor: Al Serrano
Youth advisors: Rees Brown
and Jerrold Cleveland
And there are two more celebrations in June! See Page 3.
ACEH will have an information and activity table at each festival.
Can you volunteer a couple of afternoon hours at one or more of
these events? Please send your contact info to
[email protected]. Thanks!
Marvin Younger Resigns as Board President
At his request, on May 4 the ACEH board of directors accepted the resignation
of Marvin Younger as president. Marvin said:
“After many months of soul-searching it is time for me to step down as
the Alliance president. I would like to continue as a board member but my
health issues make it impossible to do more. I need to concentrate on getting
well and I can’t do that and be the leader you need and deserve.”
Vice president John Yelding will serve as president until the next board
election in the fall.
A Holland Public Schools teacher for over 30 years,
Marvin has been a member of city boards and commissions and several
education-related organizations, including Upward Bound. He was elected
president in 2009 “to build bridges of communication between ethnic groups
and the city and find ways to involve all stakeholders in the life of this
community." You can send him a message at [email protected]
Many, many thanks, Marvin, for your years of leadership and your
wholehearted commitment to the work of ACEH in West Michigan.
_______________________________________________________________________
ACEH Members Make Social Justice Work Possible
Thank you to renewing members Jack and Elsa Hyde.
Please consider joining with Jack and Elsa and other individuals and organizations committed to social
justice, appreciation for diversity, and making West Michigan a place where all are welcomed and
respected. The dues structure is:
Individual:
Family:
Nonprofit:
Business:
$20.00 one year; $35.00 two years
$30.00 one year; $50.00 two years
$40.00 one year
$75 one year
In lieu of, or in addition to, paying dues, you may make a pledge of service to ACEH. Checks or
service pledges should be made out to ACEH and sent to Treasurer Al Minert, c/o ACEH, at P. O. Box
3007, Holland, MI 49422-3007. The ACEH membership year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. To
pay by credit card, go to http://www.harmonyalliance.org/join.html, click on “Join Us” and use the Pay
Pal system. You may also join at any ACEH event. If you are not sure if your membership is current,
please contact database manager Herb Weller at [email protected] or 396-2201.
News of Members
Congratulations to these college graduates:
•
ACEH board member Bobbie Brown, accounting degree from Grand Rapids Community
College.
•
Former ACEH youth advisor and board member Yessenia Ordaz Aguirre, University of
Michigan School of Social Work. She will be moving to California.
Natalie Avila Martinez, a former ACEH youth advisor and graduate of Northern Michigan University,
has been accepted into a graduate school clinical social work program at Michigan State University.
Happy grandparents are celebrating new grandbabies, both born on May 10 in Holland: Norma Luna,
granddaughter Serenity Marie, and Chuck and Fonda Green, grandson Charles Nicholas.
Best wishes to Stephen Underwood and Salmy Dean, who were married May 20 in Lansing.
A Play, a Pageant,
and Activities in the
Park: The AAADO
Invites Community
to be part of 15th
Annual Juneteenth
Festival and Health
Fair in Holland:
June 18, 19, & 20
June 18, 6 pm: Civic Theatre,
50 W. 9th. Play, “Power 2 Be.”
Free (suggested donation $5).
June 19, 5-8 pm: Hope College
Maas Center, 264 Columbia.
Pageant. $20.
June 20, 1-8 pm: Kollen Park,
250 Kollen Park Dr. Special
performers, entertainment,
music, children’s activities,
special guest Janice Allen of Fox
17, keynote speaker Vanessa
Greene. MCs for Juneteenth are
Vanika Brandon and Latesha
Lipscomb.
For more information, contact Kim
Harris at (616) 610-5146 or the
website of the African American
Awareness & Development
Organization (AAADO):
www.aaado.org
____________________________________________________________________________________
Holland Area PRIDE Announces Program Line-up
Holland Area PRIDE’s third outdoor festival is set for Saturday, June 27, at
Window on the Waterfront Park, East 6th St. and College Ave, Holland, from
noon to 5 pm. A family-friendly event with the theme "We Are Holland," the
festival will feature face painting, a balloon artist, petting zoo, a magic show,
and other entertainment. More than 40 local businesses and organizations will
have information and activity booths, including ACEH. A silent auction will
benefit the new LGBT Resource Center in Holland. Other festival events:
•
Friday, June 26, 7:30 pm at the Park Theater, River Ave across from Centennial Park:
National comedian Poppy Champlin and Michigan State University Accafellas singing group.
•
Saturday, June 27, 7 pm at the VFW Hall, 175 West 8th St: MOTIF singing group from
Detroit with headliners Amy and Freddy from Chicago; dancing; drag show.
For tickets, go to www.hollandareapride.org or buy at the door; discounted-price weekend passes are
available for both evening shows. Evening events are open only to people over age 18.
PRIDE is organized by a committee of Holland PFLAG. Herman Miller is the premier sponsor; other
sponsors are Padnos, PNC Bank, New Holland Brewing Co., and Dr. Pepper/Snapple.
Summer Service Play Groups
Will Help Kids Make a Difference
THE ALLIANCE FOR
CULTURAL AND
ETHNIC HARMONY
Box 3007
Holland, MI 49422-3007
PHONE: (616) 396-2201
E-MAIL:
[email protected]
WEB ADDRESS:
www.harmonyalliance.org
FACEBOOK:
Look under Groups:
ACEH – Alliance for Cultural
and Ethnic Harmony
Bringing People
Together from Worlds Apart
The Alliance for Cultural
and Ethnic Harmony
Box 3007
Holland, MI 49422-3007
Looking for something cool for younger kids to do this summer?
Want your children to learn about the world and how they can
make a difference?
Lisa Van Engen, a local mom, freelance writer on justice issues,
and special education parapro at Eaglecrest, is offering five earlyevening Summer Service Play Groups at Kollen Park for
youngsters up through elementary school age. The groups are
free, or for a small donation; books have been donated by
CitizenKid. All are on Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
--June 16: If the World Were a Village. Making a Difference.
Activity and Serve: Make a Neighbor Kit for Holland Rescue Mission.
--June 23: One Hen. Hunger. Activity: The Story of Hungry, and
a craft. Serve: Bring a food pantry item for Community Action
House.
--June 30: The Red Bicycle: Transportation. Activity: Bicycle
Parade. Serve: Bring $1 toward a World Vision USA bicycle.
--July 7: Mimi’s Village. Health Care and Clean Water. Activity:
Transporting Water Relay Race. Serve: Bring $1 for Shot@Life
Champions.
--July 14: Planet Ark. Creation Care. Activity: Nature Scavenger
Hunt. Serve: $1 for World Renew fruit tree seedling.
You don’t have to pre-register, but signing up on the Facebook
page will help Lisa get an idea of how many children to prepare for.
https://www.facebook.com/events/362389463969216/
Have questions? email Lisa at her writing site:
[email protected]