Lizbett Mercado, left, and Leticia Riestra, both of Wallingford, dance with other members of the Orgullo de Mexico dance troup as Diversity Week kicked off on Feb. 8 at Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden. Another Hispanic dance troupe,Sosos Peru Inc., also performed that day. Dr. John S. Levy of Woodbridge, chair of the New Haven Jewish Foundation and a member of the Connecticut Regional Board of the Anti-Defamation League, and Michelle Pincince, a trainer from the Anti-Defamation League, also spoke to the students about tolerance and overcoming prejudice.
Hosted by the school's Unity Club, the week also included two benefits for Haiti.
Whitney Jordan of New Haven, club president, said, "The hope is to promote diversity on the campus by bringing students together and exposing them to different cultures in entertaining and educational ways."
Somos Peru Inc. is a nonprofit organization run by the family of sophomore Caroline Salgado of New Haven. She and another student, Jessica Rodriquez, are members of the troupe and performed at the school. The group's purpose is to promote, spread and teach Peruvian folklore and art.
The Orgullo de Mexico dance group is a company owned by the mother of junior Stephanie Sandoval of Wallingford. This company, which has done cultural presentations throughout Connecticut and New York, has been in existence for six years and annually participates in New Haven’s celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day and Cinco de Mayo.
