Joe Gutierrez Office of Strategic Communication (909) 537-5007 joeg@csusb.edu
The Cal State San Bernardino John M. Pfau Library, in partnership with the university’s Black Faculty, Staff, and Student Association and the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, will host the Multicultural Book and Family Festival on Sunday, April 28, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Santos Manuel Student Union. Activities at the event will include author presentations, book readings, dance performances, learning activities for kids, a children’s theater show, plus arts and crafts exhibitors, food vendors and prizes. More than 5,000 books will be given away to children and young adults. KVCR’s Lillian Vasquez, host of the radio program “Lifestyles with Lillian Vasquez,” which explores arts and culture in the inland region, will serve as the festival’s co-MC, along with Alfredo Cruz, marketing coordinator for Coyote Radio and Advertising. Vendors, exhibitors, sponsors, local authors and volunteers are still being sought. The scheduled program lineup includes:
- Bàllet Folklorico;
- Faculty author Jason Perez, English department, College of Arts and Letters;
- Terria Smith, California Indian book editor for Heyday and magazine editor for News from Native California;
- The Imagination Players’ Grimm’s Fairy Tales (production director is CSUSB professor of theatre arts, Tom Provenzano);
- Puppet show by Mary Ellen Abilez;
- The Microphone Doctors;
- Amy M. Inouye: “How to Publish Your Book with Print-on-Demand Services”;
- Polynesian dance performers; and
- Kalli Tecpatl (Azteca Dancers).
Festival organizers especially thanked college deans Rueyling Chuang (College of Arts and Letters), Rafik Mohamed (College of Social and Behavioral Sciences), Sastry Pantula (College of Natural Sciences), Larry Rose (Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration), and Jake Zhu (College of Education) for their support of the program. “As we define the future at CSUSB, I am reminded of a quote by Confucius: ‘If your plan is for one year, plant rice; if your plan is for 10 years, plant trees; and if your plan is for 100 years, educate children,’” Pantula said. “Since CSUSB is committed to enhancing diversity and moving the needle on social mobility in the Inland Empire, we in the College of Natural Sciences want to lay a strong foundation in our children through events like this. The stronger the foundation, the stronger the building will be.” “Southern California is truly a microcosm of the world, representing many faiths, cultures and cuisines,” said Danny Morales, co-chair of the MBFF planning committee. “The festival offers a wonderful opportunity to bring communities together to celebrate diversity and support early reading and literacy. We invite everyone to join us and be a part of the celebration.” The event is free and open to the public, with complimentary parking available in Lot D. To register or for more information, email mbff@csusb.edu or call (909) 537-5104. For advertising opportunities, or to inquire about sponsorships, contact Robie Madrigal, Pfau Library, at rmadriga@csusb.edu.
