LFCC students and staff share their diverse cultures over two days of Go Global events

The various cultures and histories of our students were shared and celebrated this week as part of LFCC’s Go Global events.

LFCC has hosted global awareness days for many years, but the popular celebration was completely online last year due to the pandemic. On Wednesday, the Fauquier Campus hosted “Go Global:  A Taste of Diversity,” with food and information shared from South Korea, Venezuela and Bangladesh, as well as a presentation by Professor Jerome “Butch” Austin on the conflict in Myanmar.

On Thursday, the Middletown Campus held “Go Global:  Faces & Foods Around the World,” with information, along with some food, from various countries, including China, Ecuador, El Salvador, India, Holland, Pakistan, the Philippines and Vietnam. Numerous flags were displayed on both campuses.

“It’s great to be able to bring this very important, very cherished event back to campus this year,” said Chris Lambert, coordinator of student life and engagement. “Even though we are very much still mid-pandemic, we made this work. Hosting this event at both our Fauquier and Middletown campuses as part of a two-day event was not only safe, but a great way to bring our diverse community together in celebrating our differences as one college.”

Jaehee Lee, a fine arts student, shared Korean cookies and created an exhibit on South Korea, focusing on K-pop, architecture, traditional clothing, drama and the Korean alphabet.

“I wanted to introduce more about Korea,” she said.

Dania Benitez’s parents are from El Salvador, and she had a display on the Central American nation.

“I wanted to represent my culture and show it to other people, like our tourist spots, what food we have,” she said. “I’m representing my parents’ country from my perspective.”

Dr. Soyoung Burke, LFCC’s ESL program coordinator, was at both Go Global events, sharing Korean food.

“These types of events are very important,” she said. “Our college’s mission includes diversity, and this is at the core of that.”

Israt Jahan was serving a rice dish from her native Bangladesh.

“I am here because I wanted to experience cultures from around the world.”

Professor Austin shared videos, images and information surrounding the conflict going on in Myanmar following a brief period of democratic experimentation. His wife is from the Asian country.

“I wanted to make people aware of what is going on,” Professor Austin explained. “There are things the U.S. can do to help. Awareness is the very first thing.”

He also wants students to not take their freedoms for granted.

Professor Austin’s biology student, Sierra Miller, was one of the students who signed up to find out how they can help support the Myanmar people’s struggle for freedom.

“I joined the military in 2005 – I was 17 – and if there’s one thing I hate it, it’s a dictatorship,” she said. “I was a drill instructor in the Marine Corps. If I can help anybody in another country fight a dictator, I will.”

Learn more about LFCC’s Go Global events at lfcc.edu/goglobal.