By Jason Carrillo Edited by Claudia Loayza Libraries are important! They are free public institutions and anchor literacy and other services in our communities. They serve as centers of community engagement and are investments in future school success and economic sustainability! However, a library cannot operate without its books, and book supply and libraries themselves can be difficult to access …
By Jason Carrillo Edited by Claudia Loayza This June, the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs (MCA) excitedly hosted a Community Reception Breakfast in celebration of its 10 year anniversary! We took this time as an opportunity to not only reflect on the past decade’s milestones and achievements, but also to honor our community partners who have passionately worked to create …
By: Jason Carrillo (MCA Fellow) Utah’s State Fair is an iconic event that annually brings our statewide community together to celebrate the successes of our state and its thriving population. Diverse food options and community engagement are common sights to see during the event, making the Utah Sate Fairpark venue filled with beautiful moments and beloved memories. However, for most …
A reunion is a beautiful thing! The Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, hosted their first retreat in three years for all divisions to rebuild connections and celebrate our accomplishments. As part of the celebration, they recognized staff members for their ongoing efforts in serving the state of Utah. The Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs team received the Grand …
On Friday, February 25th, 2022, our Utah Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission and staff had the pleasure of partnering with the Utah Jazz outreach team to create an MLK experience at Lincoln Elementary of the Granite School District! Fourth and fifth graders of various backgrounds learned about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s six principles of non-violence through interactive …
Happy Black History Month! This is a month of celebration every February through March 1st that carries lessons throughout the year. It’s a time to reflect on Black figures and leaders in our shared history, but also honor those whose stories and efforts are making a difference to build up thriving communities now and into the future. Its origins come …
Over the last several months, youth from Dane Hess’s Glendale Middle School classroom have been thinking about their community, what matters most to them, and how this applies to the reimagining of the now abandoned Seven Peaks Water Park. Although, to truly be transformative requires more than ideas. It requires partnership with people who are also willing to challenge and …
SALT LAKE CITY – Over 700 middle school and jr. high students of racially and ethnically diverse communities from across the state were encouraged to reflect on their future goals and discover tools that can build upon their strengths. The Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs recently hosted the 8th Annual Multicultural Youth Leadership Summit, an event that has been supported …
WEST VALLEY CITY – “I love the work that you all are doing,” said Utah Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson at a community vaccination clinic on Nov. 19. Henderson thanked the partners who organized the series of pop-up clinics at Rancho Markets across the Wasatch Front, praising efforts to shrink the health gaps among the Latino and multicultural communities particularly hard-hit …
The Dia de Los Muertos altar at the Utah State Capitol was decorated with candles, fruit, sugar skulls and bright orange and purple flowers and yarn pom-poms, as vivid as the fall leaves outside. The memorial also featured poignant photographs of loved ones to honor the memories of the more than 3,200 Utahns who died in the past year due …
Editor’s Note: The name of this project has been updated from “Mapping Living Heritage: Many Stories, One Utah” to “Multicultural Placemaking & Mapping Community Belonging | Many Stories, One Utah”. This has been done to better reflect the goals of the project to elevate stories, histories, and values as they relate to creating places of belonging for diverse communities. The …
Across the nation, communities have come together to celebrate National Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th, and continuing in that spirit throughout the year. The Latinx experience is one of diverse histories, cultures, foods, languages, and contributions, and is unified under strong values of community, hope, and family. These 30 days are a significant time …