With a patchwork quilt symbolizing American cultural diversity as their backdrop, organizers at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) yesterday announced their plans to help locals understand what they see as the essential elements of American society.
Judith Mudd-Krijgelmans, AIT spokeswoman, briefed reporters yesterday afternoon on a series of programs that features a year-long theme on American Cultural Diversity and Black History Month, which is in February.
"Our purpose in choosing this theme, American cultural diversity, which is the theme of the year for the American Cultural Center, is to underline the importance of this American value," said Mudd-Krijgelmans, a black American born in Louisville, Kentucky.
"It's my personal opinion that cultural diversity is the most important and significant American value," Mudd-Krijgelmans added.
"The real promise of America was not fulfilled until the 60s and 70s when the civil rights movements helped us [minorities] to gain these guarantees of our rights," added Mudd-Krijgelmans, who has toured Taiwan to give related talks to university students.
Mudd-Krijgelmans also shared her experiences yesterday in the once segregated community in Louisville, such as having to make her hair straight to disguise her identity as a black American before the introduction of laws that guaranteed the rights of black Americans.
She said the programs aimed at reaching out to the young audience in Taiwan to help them understand that the US is not just about "cowboys."
The series of programs beginning today includes a discussion on "Martin Luther King's Heritage: Cultural Diversity" at the American Cultural Center auditorium from 6pm this evening, which will hear from a panel of Americans.
Projects that feature Black History Month include a round-table discussion on Feb. 6 on the book entitled The Harlem Renaissance written by Kelly King Howes, and a poetry reading on Feb. 27 by renowned black American poet Afaa Weaver, currently a visiting scholar at National Taiwan University.
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