Diversity adds up for Lynnwood, says mayor

LYNNWOOD

Saying that diversity in Lynnwood “Is a mathematical reality, not a government program,” Mayor Don Gough kicked off a 2 1/2 hour luncheon on Friday, Jan. 12 during the first city of Lynnwood Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at the Lynnwood Convention Center.

Two student marimba ensembles — from Sherwood and College Place elementary schools — as well as dancers and choral ensembles, entertained the crowd, made up mostly of business and city officials.

The face of America is changing, civil rights leader Magdeleno “Leno” Rose-Avila, one of two keynote speakers over the weekend, told the audience.

“If you look at the (U.S.) census year by year, you’ll see a growth in one category and that’s ‘other,’ ” he said.

Celebrities like golfer Tiger Woods, who has Caucasian, African American and Native American blood, show the wave of the future in America, said Rose-Avila, executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project in Seattle.

That change is a strength about America, not a weakness, Rose-Avila said.

“This is a very special time,” he said. “Uncommon acts of justice are really what make the world a better place.”

Lynnwood residents also chimed in.

Vera Yeremeyeva, a Ukrainian immigrant, told the audience she arrived here seven years ago “without any English except ‘Hello, how are you?’” and the ability to count to 10.

Today, she helps out at her daughter’s school.

“I’m so glad to help people because I know what they’re going through,” she said.

Her daughter, Tanya, told the audience she spoke no English when she arrived in the U.S. at age 10.

“I’ve been able to learn to love this country as it is,” she said.

And Shu-Hua Baumgartner, an immigrant from Taiwan, spoke about the many things native-born Americans take for granted or that are mysterious to immigrants, such as gravy.

“I had never had gravy before,” she said. “I even had Chinese friends who thought gravy was soup.”

Gough said the diversity celebration coincides with the birthday of the slain civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., but its focus goes beyond any single racial group.

“This is not a black people’s holiday, it is a people’s holiday,” he said.

Event organizer Wally Webster, chair of the city’s Neighborhoods and Diversity Committee, said he was pleased with the diversity celebration.

“I thought the week went extremely well, especially considering the weather challenges we had, the fact we had to cancel two of the forums and we were able to implement the main events of the day,” he said.

Webster estimated that 300 people attended the Friday night keynote presentation by National Public Radio and Fox News analyst Juan Williams.

“He’s already called me to chat and express his appreciation and approval for the initiative being taken in this city around diversity,” Webster said.

Plans are already being laid for next year’s event. The first step, he said, will be to “talk about lessons learned” in discussion over the next two to three weeks. Two forums that had to be canceled due to weather will be rescheduled.

“The intent is to have additional (diversity) activities throughout the year,” he said.

Jean Hale, president and CEO of the South Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce, an event sponsor, called the event “outstanding.”

“It’s unfortunate the weather didn’t cooperate more,” she said. “But I think, just from a Chamber perspective, we had a great turnout to the luncheon. I think there’s a sincere desire to continue this. Celebrating community is something Lynnwood’s been lacking.”