Maryland National Guard celebrates diversity through Unity Day
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1500572204714{margin: 0px !important;border-width: 0px !important;padding: 0px !important;}”]By Sgt. Breeanna Pierce, 29th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1500572225611{margin: 0px !important;border-width: 0px !important;padding: 0px !important;}”]Maryland Guard members from around the state gathered to take part in games, performances and multicultural cuisine, celebrating diversity through the Maryland National Guard’s 8th Annual Unity Day, May 16, at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore.
“Unity day is a day of celebrating ethnic observances designed to enhance cross-cultural awareness and promote harmony among all members of the Maryland Military Department,” said Maj. Gay Williams, this year’s Unity Day organizer and the state equal employment manager for the Maryland National Guard.
The celebration, which was open to Guard members and their families, gave participants an opportunity to immerse themselves in the different cultures represented throughout the Maryland National Guard.
“It’s a lot of fun learning about different cultures,” said Airman 1st Class Rebecca Persuhn, with the 175th Wing, who has attended the last two Unity Day celebrations. “I really love the different foods; a lot of people get dressed up, which brings something special to [the festivities].”
Since its inaugural year in 2005, Unity Day has been one of the numerous ways the Maryland National Guard shows support for the diverse cultures that make up the force.
“It gives us a change to step away from ignorance,” said Rosheim Christian Lewis II, a participant in the Maryland Guard’s Free State ChalleNGe, a tuition-free program for at-risk adolescents, 16 to 18 years old. “I like how I can see different cultures and interact with a bunch of different people.”
The National Guard, home of the ‘citizen soldier,’ creates a unique environment in which Guard members work alongside others of various heritages.
“We all come from various cultures and backgrounds, which makes us unique,” Williams said. “It is important that we come together to embrace those differences and learn from each other.”[/vc_column_text][vc_images_carousel images=”1892,1890,1893,1894,1895″ img_size=”full” css_animation=”fadeIn”][/vc_column][/vc_row]