Ethnic Enrichment Festival at Swope Park in Kansas City

As Kansas City prepared to celebrate the U.S. bicentennial in 1976, an idea was born which eventually led to the appointment of the Mayor’s Ethnic Enrichment Commission. In order to focus the public’s attention on the area’s rich cultural heritage, Charles B. Wheeler, Mayor of Kansas City during the bicentennial year, formed the Ethnic Heritage Committee. That committee planned an Ethnic Bicentennial Parade, presented ethnic menus at local restaurants, and compiled a written history of contributions made to Kansas City’s growth by various ethnic groups. The latter project won national recognition from the United States Bicentennial Association.
The committee took a step toward permanency in 1978 when two members of the Naturalization Council urged the formation of the Ethnic Enrichment Committee. During that period, the group hosted its first Ethnic Enrichment Festival at the Liberty Memorial. The festival drew the attention of Mayor Richard Berkley and City Councilman Vic Swyden, who introduced a resolution to the City Council in 1980 creating the Mayor’s Ethnic Enrichment Commission. The Commission, with membership from 66 countries and ethnic groups, continues to foster understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity in the greater Kansas City area. With Kansas City and Missouri Parks and Recreation, the Commission hosts an annual festival in Swope Park each August.

Ethnic Enrichment Commission of Kansas City Members:

American Indian   African American   Tom Brandom
Deborah Veatch Leonard Pryor
Danny K. Staton MD Argentina   Bahamas     Lenora Ellen Wuattoux Bangladesh   Bolivia   Rehan Reza
Sibghat Khan Roxana Candillo
Evita Turello Brazil   Cameroon   Otavio Silva
Angelique Mello Kelley Tony Atabong
Emmanuel Ngomsi, Ph.D. China   Colombia   Teresa T. Chien
Tammy Wang Angela Bello
Martha Gonzalez Croatia   Czech-Slovak   Dr. Judith Vogelsang
Louis Birt Jirina Lavine
Mike Kalny Denmark   Ecuador   Dean Larsen
Barbara Larsen Wilman Salazar
Orlando Cachiguango Egypt   Ethiopia   Carmen Mallouk
Bhaa Elashkar Soloman Reta Finland   France   Albert Waisanen
Mary Ann Waisanen Jeanine Cobler
Ann Sunderland Gambia   Germany   Paul M. Ceesay
Lamin Bumi Nyang Ilse Brodersen
Hildegard S. Will Greece   Haiti   Thimios Zaharopolos
Theophilos Tagtalianidis Ginette Marie Pittman Hawaii   India   Dorinda (Dee) Nicholson
Lani Schiro Hemavathi Sharma
Dr. Usha Saha Indonesia   Ireland   Marti Wilson
James Wilson Pat Quinn
Mary Gettino Israel   Italy   Mel Pezant
Deborah O’Bannon Melchior  Cucchiara
Frank Cherrito Jamaica   Japan   Edna Plowright
Kathleen Johnson Sachie Stroder
Masami Okamoto Willis Kenya   Laos   Wasim Khan
Andrea Khan Amee Her
Chong Her Liberia   Lithuania   Beatrice W. Davies
Simeon Johnson Charlotte Zemaitis Horvatic
Richard Horvatic Malaysia   Mexico   Siew Lau
Ghita King Rose Marie Mendez
Augustine J. Oropeza Morocco   Nigeria   Marge Gasnick
Christine Ferhat Ngozika Okonta
Georgeline Nwaneri Norway   Pakistan   Milan D. Hanson
Vern R. Knutson Mahjabeen Akber-Zaidi Peru   Philippines     Manuel P. Pardo M.D.
Amado Mamuric Rep. of China   Russia   Hoi Kei Au
David Au Svetlana Yeager
Tatiana Bargerstock Samoa   Scotland   Tuitoga L. (Lee) Moe
Lupe T. Moe John T. Duncan
Carol C. Duncan Serbia   Somalia   Jan Supica
Lisa Gribble Abraham Egal South Africa Rep. of Korea Denzyl Janneker Soonnan Chang Spain Sweden   Maria J. Santos
Fermin Santos Robert Lindwall
Linda Dost Tanzania   Thailand   Deogratias Rutabana
Justus Bwesha Varaluck Slaughter
Jak Pittayanukul Trinidad & Tobago Turkey Keisha Jones Emru Erten
Marilyn Scheer Ukraine Venezuela   Irene Thompson Sara Henryl
Oscar Schnell Vietnam   Wales   Thuy Nguyen Scot Powell
Douglas T. Wyatt

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