by Gene Marrano
Perhaps Roanoke Mayor David Bowers said it best as he welcomed people to the 21st annual Local Colors celebration at Elmwood Park last Saturday: “We’re celebrating diversity in our All-American city.” Bowers took to the stage with other members of City Council and the mayor of Roanoke’s Sister City, Wonju, South Korea, who addressed the crowd in broken English. “I am much excited and delighted [to be here],” said Chang Mug Weon from prepared remarks, “I hope that our friendship can be further solidified.”
“We can learn stuff from each other,” said Jay Saunders, President of the Local Colors board of directors. Egypt was the featured country from among the 90-plus represented this year, a nod to the democratization process underway there with the overthrow of dictator Hosni Mubarak. Egypt led the Parade of Nations and drew large crowds to its food kiosk on Jefferson Street.
Local Colors executive director Pearl Fu, dressed for a change in Egyptian garb instead of her native Chinese costume, noted the sunny skies: “so many different religions, so many different religions prayed [for good weather],” noted Fu. Bowers called Fu the “empress of Roanoke.” Local Colors started with just a handful of countries 21 years ago; under Fu’s guidance – not to mention her dogged pursuit of more ethnic groups represented in the valley – it has grown to almost 100 countries taking part.
Slowed a bit by illness in recent years, Fu entered in a chariot with the Egyptian contingent and sat on stage in the bright, hot sun for most of the six hour event, which also included booths selling goods related to participating countries, and representatives in costume on hand to talk about their native or ancestral lands. On stage there was ethnic music, dancing, singing and fashion shows.
Bowers also took time to point out that upcoming improvements to Elmwood Park will include permanent toilets attached to the back of the public library, eliminating the need for porta-johns.
Near the Egyptian food kiosk a man who identified himself as Emad, representing the Greek-influenced era of ancient Egypt, talked to people about his homeland. Emad came to the United States several years ago; he lives in Hillsville but attends a Coptic Orthodox church in Roanoke. “After the Pharaohs era came the Romans, then the Greeks,” Emad explained, “then started the modern age. Cleopatra was the end of the Pharaohs era.”
Emad is uncertain about all the unrest in Egypt, “but at the same time I am happy that we are having changes for the better. I have faith that this will turn [out] to the good. We’re going to have a new government and new freedom.”
Local Colors gives many Roanokers one chance every year to brush shoulders with cultures they may not know much about. Each country participating in the Parade of Nations came on the Elmwood Park stage, as the emcees told the audience a little bit about each nation and its culture.
“I’m really so happy and feeling proud,” said Emad, as the curious asked about and purchased Egyptian food, many for the first time. “I’m so proud to be here in the United States [as well]. I consider this to be my second home.”
