Festival Encourages Diversity

Nicollette Ashtiani Roundup Reporter

From lines of Iranian vendors and loud Persian music, to dozens of picnickers and overcrowded dance floors, Pierce College was transformed into a hub of Iranian culture.

Royal Time TVs third annual Persian festival was on Oct. 19 at Pierce College to honor the ancient Persian holiday called Mehregan.

“I normally set my store up at raves. This is a first for me. It’s different, but I like the music and am having a good time,” Daniel Guiguys, vendor at the festival and Owner of Sfynx Apparel, said.

The festival’s main goals were to help educate the local community and younger generation about Iranian culture, and to encourage more diversity.

“This is my second time here, but I come just to support my culture,” said Farnaz Shafie, Iranian Festival attendee and Student at California State University, Northridge. “If as if it could be more organized,” Santa Monica College student Daniel Stump said.

Manager. “I graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Communications Studies. 20 years later, I returned to Pierce College and began taking classes to sharpen my skills. I’ve really enjoyed and benefitted greatly from my classes at Pierce.”

The program will also bring added awareness of the services and opportunities the school offers.

“I didn’t know the program existed,” psycholgy major Angel Gonzalez said. “I feel like in connection with a counselor it can be more helpful.”

The name of the program came from Walk’s desire to make it about the students.

“Like the slogan says, it’s All-U,” Walk said. “It’s all yours, the student’s, the degree programs, the transfer programs, financial assistance, study help, it’s all here to help the students succeed and reach their goals.”

All-U is not a club, but a program that was designed to help students succeed. There are banners and posters on teh Mall and around campus.

“All-U at Pierce College was an outcome of Achieving the Dream, a nationwide initiative to improve the success of community college students,” Doreen Clay, Public Relations Manager, said.

For quick access to all of Pierce’s transfer, major and graduation information visit www. piercecollege.edu/all-u.

11/13—Bike Theft

A bicycle was stolen from a bike rack near VLGE 8037 around 8:40 a.m. when its cable lock was cut.

11/12—Student Incident

A student was caught drinking beer in the library at 5:05 p.m. The student was warned, and a report was written.

11/11—Criminal Threats

An agriculture department faculty member received a threatening message on the Farm Center’s voice mail at 12:46 a.m.

The investigation is ongoing.

11/6—Petty Theft

A student’s iPhone was stolen from a desk in the Library / Learning Center.

The student got up to make copies sometime between 11:20 a.m. and noon. She left her iPhone and other belongings at the desk. When she returned, the iPhone was gone.

11/5—Student Incident

Two students in Parking Lot 7 argued about a parking space.

11/4—Vandalism

The driver side door of a student’s vehicle was keyed by an unknown person in Parking Lot 1 between 8 a.m. and 11:05 a.m.

11/4—Petty Theft someone who wasn’t familiar with the culture were to come, they wouldn’t learn much about this holiday, or more about our culture, you would just see it.”

A student’s bike was stolen from the Village bike rack between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Despite their efforts, many of the festival attendees were of Iranian decent, but have expressed their desire for more diversity to expose their culture to others.

“I really like the music and food, but if you don’t speak the language it’s hard to enjoy. I don’t even know the purpose of the festival. I feel

But Royal Time’s efforts did not go unnoticed. Of the many Iranian Vendors spread out on The Mall, a handful was more geared towards the younger generation and diverse cultures.

-Rolf Schleicher Vice President of Administrative Services

One vendor, Siamak Afshiar, Owner of Transforming Life Sober Living, set up his informational booth at the festival to reach out to the young adults and college students to provide information about drug abuse, addiction and his rehabilitation program.

“We came here because it was on a college campus, and we want to reach out to young adults and teach them preventative measures in regards to drugs,” Afshiar said.