Licking Heights students prepare for annual 'Diaspora' performance, add second show time

One of Licking Heights’ most popular cultural celebrations is returning for 2023 after record-breaking ticket sales last year.

Licking Heights High School students will present two performances of their annual "Diaspora" show, one at 2 p.m. and one at 6:30 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 25. Both shows will be in the high school auditorium, 4101 Summit Road SW, Pataskala, OH. Tickets are $5 and available for both presale and at the door. This is the first time there will be two performances.

Now in its fifth year, Diaspora is the creation of the Cultural Identity Club, which includes 160 students and is led by Melissa Carter, administrative assistant to Principal Angel King. The club’s goal is to celebrate cultural diversity all year, and Diaspora is their main event each February.

This year’s show will include dances, singing, fashion shows and poetry readings from students. Some songs and poems, a few of which are original compositions, will be performed in students’ native languages. A few countries represented include Ghana, Eritrea, Somalia and Nepal.

While Carter provides guidance and organization for club logistics, she said the event is almost entirely student-run and led.

"It’s an amazing program. This group of students starts before school even starts so they can practice for the show," she said. "They are incredibly motivated and are relentless. They would stay here every day until 5 p.m. if they could…they know I will hold them accountable, but that I respect them."

The district has a growing and active Somali and Nepali population, and Carter says both communities are very supportive and proud of their students performing cultural dances and songs in the show. Last year’s show had more than 700 attendees.

Ninth grade student Jayah Mitchell has looked forward to "Diaspora" since middle school. She will perform in the historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) group dance and African-American Decades Fashion Show.

Mitchell said she was especially moved watching former high school principal and current Curriculum Director Tiffane Warren participate in a dance with students last year.

"Last year when I came to 'Diaspora,' I went home and told my mom how cool it was," she said. "That’s all I would talk about and what I was looking forward to most in high school–joining the Cultural Identity Club. My friend’s sister always told me how much she loves Mrs. Carter, the people in the club and the positive energy and environment."

In the future, Mitchell said she’d like to get more Latino students involved and see representation of different South American cultures.

Ninth grade student Samuella Brefo was also inspired by watching "Diaspora" in middle school. Brefo will dance with Mitchell in the HBCU performance, along with a West African dance number, too. She said her favorite part about participating is working together with a team to build the best show and encourage each other.

"What I hope people take from attending our show is that no matter how different we are, we can always come together," Brefo said. "I hope to see this program change and grow in many ways as different grades get the experience of being senior leaders and seeing new and different countries."

"Diaspora" is a major event in Licking Heights’ district-wide celebration of Black History Month. Along with the event, the Cultural Identity Club is celebrating Black excellence by creating hallway displays, sharing facts on the morning announcements and decorating classroom doors.

Diaspora is a Greek word meaning "dispersion," typically referring to members of ethnic groups who have left their homeland, or who have been forced out.

Information submitted by Licking Heights Local Schools.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking Heights students prepare for annual 'Diaspora' performance