Eastern Presents “We Are Blended”

Eastern Connecticut State University’s Campus Activity Board (CAB), the Intercultural Center, the Office of Housing and Residential Life and the Women’s Center recently co-sponsored “We Are Blended,” a social change initiative that encourages immigrants and U.S.-born residents to reach out to each other. The Eastern departments worked with the Chinese and American Cultural and Assistance Corporation and Adam Bowles, the owner of Not With Ink, a Connecticut-based multimedia company that raises awareness of select topics on a project-by-project basis. The two organizations have sponsored and showcased the program across Connecticut.
“My vision and passion is to spread the message of ‘speak kindly’ and ‘take notice’ to as many communities and schools as possible,” said Bowles. “This message is found in the book of Ruth in the Bible. I want to challenge people to “speak kindly” to one another in order to put immigrants at ease and to “take notice” of immigrant students by recognizing them as more than just another face in the crowd. It’s a small part to play in the spectrum of all things immigration. But it’s the part I feel called to play.”
The keynote speaker, Carlos Castro, founder of Todos Supermarket, talked to Eastern students about pursuing the dream of having a life of freedom and success. Today, Castro is a self-made immigrant millionaire who has been featured nationally, including in the Washington Post, for his amazing rise from cleaning toilets to owning a supermarket chain in Virginia. Castro talked about the importance of staying focused and determined. He lectured Eastern students on the importance of being kind and taking notice of each other as a community.
Eastern has more than 50 international students from various countries including Senegal, Norway, Denmark, Turkey, China, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Pakistan. These students speak more than 40 languages, including French, Spanish, Swedish, Wolof, Urdu, Pidgin, Portuguese, Creole, Dutch, German, Italian, Hindi, Turkish, Japanese, Akan, Norwegian, Arabic and Farsi.
For more information on upcoming events in the Intercultural and Women’s Center, visit Cultural Celebrations or contact Starsheemar Byrum at byrums@easternct.edu.