Diversity in Culture Festival 2026!
Wednesday & Thursday events will be held in person. If weather is inclement, please check back here for any location changes.
Join us for the 2026 Diversity in Culture Festival this April. All events are free and open to the public and parking is free during all events.
ASL interpreting will be available.
Please request additional disability accommodations for any event 72 hours in advance. Ventura College, Steve Turner 805-289-6415.
Save the Date!
- Live Performances
- Art
- Vendors
- Community Organizations and more!
Dates
- Wednesday, April 8
- Thursday April 9
For information about the Diversity in Culture Festival, contact:
Ventura College: mtfiumerodo@vcccd.edu
Wednesday April 8
Ceramics Sale and Demo
9:00 am-2:00 pm
Handmade ceramics created by students from the Ventura College Ceramics Program. You can find unique functional wares like cups, bowls, vases, plates and more for your everyday use or as gift for your loved ones. Don’t miss this opportunity to support VC ceramics students and get some amazing handmade pieces of functional and decorative art.
Main Stage
Host for the day: Sade Champagne
Musical artist, performer, mentor, speaker, published author and philanthropist, Sade Champagne!
Opening of festival-Land acknowledgement with Dr. Sim Hay Kin Stensgar
9:00 am- 9:45 am
Opening of 10th Annual Diversity in Culture festival with VC Ethnic Studies/ Native American Studies Professor, Dr. Sim Hay Kin Stensgar
Danza Azteca Xochipilli
Yaminah Legohn, Afro-Fusion Dance
11:00 am-11:45 am
Performance and presentation that consists of cultural dances, including African, Hip Hop and Caribbean dance.
VC Jazz Ensemble- with Fundi Legohn
12:00 pm-12:45 pm
Come listen to our own Jazz Ensemble led by Professor Fundi Legohn.
Greeting by VC President Dr. Luca Lewis - 12:45 pm
Drumspeak
1:00 pm-1:45 pm
Drumspeak is a taiko ensemble that celebrates Japanese drumming with creativity, expression, and a foundation in tradition.
VC Folklorico Club
1:45 pm-2:15 pm
Join the Ventura College Folklorico Club for a lively performance of traditional danza folklorico.
Afternoon Break
ASVC Student Centennial Celebration
5:00 pm-8:30 pm
Classroom Presentations
Tai Chi Walk for Peace at the Globe
Sacred Sites of the Comanche and Chumash Cultures with Pete Zavalla
8:30 am-9:45 am – MCE 226
Pete “Crow Heart” Zavalla is a Comanche Native, and through his 50-plus year affiliation with the Santa Ynez Reservation in Santa Barbara County, remains the Indigenous Liaison for Los Padres National Forest. In this presentation, Pete will draw upon his experiences, and cultures to share about the importance of preserving local and regional sacred sites of which there are many that remain threatened. Hosted by Professor Michael Ward.
Presentation on Social Work panel with Ana Luiza Nogueria and Brisa Figueroa
10:00 am-11:15 am- ASC 130
Ana Luiza Nogueira and Brisa Figueroa are mental health professionals dedicated to serving diverse communities in Ventura County. Ana Luiza is a first-generation immigrant from Brazil and a licensed clinical social worker who worked her way through school while pursuing her education. Brisa, a Ventura College alumna from the Ventura County area is currently working toward her Master of Social Work while supporting clients in the mental health field. Together, they will share their educational journeys and the paths that led them to careers serving diverse populations with mental health needs in Ventura County, reflecting on how their backgrounds and experiences shaped their commitment to culturally responsive care. - Hosted by Professor Ioana Schmidt.
Maestro Jaime Vega (Tlakatletzin Fire-Keeper): Defining your Identity: Ancient Sun Stone of the Aztec Calendar
10:00 am-11:15 am – MCE 226 and Zoom
Understanding the Ancient Sun Stone of the Aztec Calendar with James Vega Maestro Jaime Vega will discuss the Aztec sun stone calendar. Not many people realize the vital information that can be received from the sun stone calendar. When used properly, the sun stone can be used to help students realize their full potential in life and access their career possibilities. Participants will learn about the day they were born, also known as “TonaLi” and receive a handout. Please have time of birth available to participate. Hosted by Professor Gigi Fiumerodo.
Consequences of War: Learning from the Past, Surviving the Present, and Protecting for the Future.
10:00 am-11:15 am- ASC 150
Ariadna Romero Ayala: Herbalism and Indigenous Healing Ways
11:30 am-12:45 pm- ASC 150
In this presentation, local herbalist Aris Romero will highlight the rich traditions of herbalism and Indigenous healing practices. We will explore how plants support the mind, body, and spirit through a holistic approach to wellness. The presentation will conclude with a focus on Indigenous healing and its deep connection to nature, community, and spirituality.
Keynote Speaker: Marjan Kamali, author of "The Lion Women of Tehran"
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ASC 150 | Register for Marjan Kamali's The Lion Women of Tehran Zoom Session
Marjan Kamali is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of The Lion Women of Tehran, an instant national bestseller, The Stationery Shop, a national and international bestseller, and Together Tea, a Massachusetts Book Award finalist. Born in Turkey to Iranian parents, she spent her childhood in Turkey, Iran, Germany, Kenya, and the U.S. Hosted by Professor Niki Milani and Professor Kammy Algiers.
Career Center Workshop- Tell your Story
1:30 pm - Career Center
Guthrie Hall Events
Zine workshop - Hosted by Future Voices
10:00 am -11:15 am - Guthrie Hall
Join Future Voices for a collaborative zine-making event where students and creatives guide participants in designing and submitting their own zine. Learn the rich history of zines as DIY publications rooted in self-expression and community storytelling. Participants will have time to complete their work during the session and are invited to submit their finished pieces for publication in Scroll and Bones, the zine of Future Voices at Ventura College.
Project R Panel
11:30 am-12:45 pm - Guthrie Hall
Arc of Ventura County presents Project R. Project R is our anti-bullying campaign that promotes inclusion and respect for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Project R: Reconsider, Rethink, Respect is a self-advocacy initiative focused on eliminating the use of disrespectful language, including the “R-word,” and encouraging communities to foster dignity, acceptance, and inclusion for individuals with disabilities.
Chumash Tomol Builders with Chumash Elder Alan Salazar
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Guthrie Hall - with a traditional tomol on display outside of Guthrie Hall on the lawn
As a member of the Chumash Maritime Association, Alan Salazar helped build the first working traditional Chumash plank canoe in modern times and paddled in this a traditional canoe, or tomol, for over 25 years. He oversaw the construction of two tomols in 2023 for the Ventura Chumash community. It has been over 180 years since Chumash tomols (canoes) have been built in Ventura.
Thursday, April 9
Ceramics Sale and Demo
9:00 am-2:00 pm
All handmade ceramics are created by students from the Ventura College Ceramics Program. You can find unique functional wares like cups, bowls, vases, plates and more for your everyday use or as gift for your loved ones. Don’t miss this opportunity to support VC ceramics students and get some amazing handmade pieces of functional and decorative art.
Main Stage
Opening and Performance with Sade Champagne
9:00 am - 9:30 am
Musical artist, performer, mentor, speaker, published author and philanthropist, Sade Champagne will open the second day of the festival with an energetic performance
Josephoenix
10:00 am-10:45 am
Josephoenix is a high energy funk fusion band that brings people together with danceable beats and feel good vibes that get every generation moving!
Los So Lows
11:30 am-12:45 pm
Los So-Lows is a soul band from Oxnard, California. Their goal is to make and highlight the importance of Soul music. From dropping records to hosting community driven concerts and events, they aim to lead the next generation of soul artists while paying homage to the legends of the past.
Student Art Contest Winner
12:45 pm
The VC Art Department will announce the art contest winner for the 2027 Diversity in Culture festival. The artwork will be featured on the poster for next year’s event.
Poetry Slam
1:00 pm-2:30 pm
VC students will deliver their own poetry in a poetic competition for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place cash prizes, sponsored by the ASVC. This year’s theme is “Onward! A Legacy of Heritage and Hope- Will the waves of our lives matter in a hundred years? A pirate’s legacy, goals, dreams, ancestors, and time.”
VC Singers with Brent Wilson
2:30 pm-3:00 pm
Enjoy our own Ventura College singers, led by music Professor Brent Wilson
Classroom Presentations
Maline Werness Rude –Prehistory and Ancient Maya Glyphs
10:00 am-11:15 am - MCE 226
Ever seen an ancient Maya Hieroglyphic text? Want to know more about what it says? Or how the Maya formed their words? Come join us for an overview of this ancient writing system. Handouts will be provided; no prior knowledge will be expected. Hosted by Professor Gigi Fiumerodo
Graphic Novel Author Henry Barajas
11:30 am -12:45 pm - ASC 150
Henry Barajas is a comic book author who has written the graphic novel La Voz De M.A.Y.O.: Tata Rambo, and the series Helm Greycastle. He has written issues of Batman and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, among others, and is currently co-authoring The Green Hornet/ Miss Fury with Alex Segura and writing the ongoing comic strip Gil Thorp. Recently New York City Public Schools commissioned and published the comic book Historias de Resistencia: Dolores Huerta and the Plight of the Farm Workers and Union Organizers that is now part of the district's class curriculum. Hosted by Professor David Carlander
Diversity Collective
11:30 am-12:45 pm - MCE 347
- hosted by Professor Andrea Horigan
Guthrie Hall Events
Irish Harp Music and Culture with Dennis Doyle
Gentle Yoga Session and Sound Bath with Rebekha Wolf
