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Nacogdoches peace march and rally is meant to celebrate diversity

A first ever multicultural peace march and rally will be held this month in Nacogdoches.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s director of multicultural affairs Osaro Airen organized the event and formed a community-wide multicultural peace committee in the city. He says the event was created in response to nationwide race and culture discord heightened by media attention.

“The hate that we’re seeing is nothing new it’s just being televised more now. That’s the honest truth,” Airen said. “I think the purpose is to have programs such as this to let people know this event is not a protest; rather, it’s a celebration.”

Airen organized speakers who span generations – from a Nacogdoches high school student to area clergy. He says the goal of the one-mile walk from SFA to the Nacogdoches County Courthouse is to get people talking to each other from diverse backgrounds.

Stephen F. Austin State multicultural affairs director Osaro Airen began organizing an event around community diversity earlier this summer.
Credit Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State multicultural affairs director Osaro Airen began organizing an event around community diversity earlier this summer.

“I think people forget that sometimes when you’re a little uneasy around something new that is a good thing because you have to acknowledge that feeling of being uneasy and understand that you need to start learning about others,” Airen said.

The multicultural peace march and rally will be held Sunday, Aug. 30, at 5 p. m. It begins in front of SFA’s entrance on North Street. The rally begins at 5:45 p.m. in front of the Nacogdoches County Courthouse, 101 W. Main Street.

The multicultural peace committee meets regularly and consists of 16 people from all walks of life, according to Airen.

Copyright 2021 Red River Radio. To see more, visit Red River Radio.

Chuck Smith
Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' experience to Red River Radio having started out as a radio news reporter and moving into television journalism as a newsmagazine producer / host, talk-show moderator, programming director and managing producer and news director / anchor for commercial, public broadcasting and educational television. He has more recently worked in advertising, marketing and public relations as a writer, video producer and media consultant. In pursuit of higher learning, Chuck studied Mass Communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.

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