By Stephanie Neeley
When it comes to celebrating, Delray Beach wants to make sure it hits the right note.
And in many cases, that requires a chorus of cultures.
For the fourth consecutive year, Delray Beach resident Susan Berkowitz-Schwartz organized an All People’s Day Diversity festival recently to highlight the differences between races and ethnicities and celebrate their commonalities. The National Coalition of 100 Black Women,
South Palm Beach County co-sponsored the event.
Held at Pompey Park Recreational Center, the free festival featured 20 performers including an African American choir, American folk singers, Chinese performances and Mexican folk dancers.
There also were 50 interactive and selling booths with arts projects for children and adults as well as multicultural foods.
“When people come together through the arts, it touches their hearts because they learn about each other through the heart,” said Berkowitz-Schwartz, an art therapist. “It’s a connection that goes beyond talking. It’s feeling, seeing touching and it’s creating.”
Created by Berkowitz-Schwartz in 1973, All People’s Day was celebrated for 35 years in New Jersey. Berkowitz-Schwartz brought the festival to Delray Beach in 2010 and has gotten local support form elected officials and residents. Berkowitz–Schwartz hopes All People’s Day will become a national holiday.