Topeka United aims for the community to unify through multicultural holiday event

Keishera Lately, Topeka Capital-Journal
·2 min read
This poster highlights the public, multicultural holiday event, which will be Dec. 14 at First United Methodist Church. Topeka United is hosting the event.
This poster highlights the public, multicultural holiday event, which will be Dec. 14 at First United Methodist Church. Topeka United is hosting the event.

Members of the community are trying to unite as one next week through a multicultural event for the holidays.

Topeka United will have Peace: A Multicultural Holiday Evening event with the intent to unite various cultures through the love of words, music and dance entertainment.

The event will feature five musical performances and guest speakers that will represent different cultures around the globe.

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Topeka City Councilwoman Karen Hiller last year told The Capital-Journal the event seeks to bring about a celebration of their differences by "people who may look different on the outside but are similar on the inside." The event was cancelled because of inclement weather in December 2021.

This year, Peace: A Multicultural Holiday Evening will begin at 7 p.m. Dec. 14 at Topeka First United Methodist Church, 600 S.W. Topeka Blvd. with free admission for all.

Event organizer Lisa Davis said Topeka United aims to do different things in the community that allow for everyone to participate and enjoy each other's company.

"We just want people to learn about each other and maybe it can make a change in our community," Davis said.

Mariachi Girasol de Topeka will perform Dec. 14 at Peace: A Multicultural Holiday Evening at Topeka First United Methodist Church.
Mariachi Girasol de Topeka will perform Dec. 14 at Peace: A Multicultural Holiday Evening at Topeka First United Methodist Church.

On Dec. 14, program will include musical and dance performances by Mariachi Girasol de Topeka, Allena Ross, Orlando Zuniga, Chris Kramer and the Standing Bear Intertribal Brotherhood, and Jason Jones Dancers.

Regina Platt will be the host for the evening, with Pastor Tobias Schlingensiepen, Rabbi Sam Stern, Pastor Shirley Heermance and Imam Omar Hazim as guest speakers for the event.

Topeka United formed in 2019, after the 65th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision that banned racial segregation in schools in 1954. Topeka United's goal is to bring full inclusion to the community.

Keishera Lately is the business reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. She can be reached at Klately@cjonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @Lately_KT.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Peace: A Multicultural Holiday Evening will be Dec. 14 in Topeka