Sanford Celebrates Second Annual Cultural Community Day

Building on the success of last year's inaugural event, the morning offered opportunities for families to celebrate their heritage and learn from each other’s stories.

“Cultural Community Day was a vibrant display of the diversity that makes Sanford special, bringing people together in beautiful ways,” shared  Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Jamy Haughey. “Families welcomed the opportunity to share about themselves - their family, religion, or traditions - through food, crafts, or artifacts. People whose families came from as far as Italy, Pakistan, Australia, and Taiwan, to as close as Wisconsin and Arkansas, shared pieces of their own family story.” 

This year's festivities also introduced a colorful new tradition: the One Community, Many Colors Color Run/Walk, hosted by the senior class. Participants made their way through Chapel Valley amid bursts of colorful powder, bringing an extra splash of fun and school spirit to the celebration.

For students, the event offered a chance to celebrate their own backgrounds while discovering more about the cultures and traditions of their peers. Senior Neha Khan ’27 captured the spirit of the morning:

“Stepping out beneath the trees, it was an atmosphere of laughter and joy as well as curiosity, authenticity, and connection. I was transported all around the world, seeing the vibrant decorations, tasting foods from Puerto Rico to Bulgaria, and dancing with my peers to a Greek arrangement. It reminded me of just how fortunate we are to belong to a community as diverse as Sanford’s and how important it is to continue acknowledging and celebrating our differences.”

Cultural Community Day is about the connections we build when we take the time to understand one another. “When we learn from each other’s stories, we are able to connect more deeply and more authentically,” reflected Haughey. “In the words of Mary Lou Kownacki, a nun, peace activist, and writer: ‘There isn’t anyone you couldn’t love once you’ve heard their story.’”

For Haughey, the event brings that belief to life, creating an opportunity for students, faculty, and families to “share, learn, and grow in community.”