In the past few weeks, Richmonders have shared their cultural heritage at the annual ¿Que Pasa? Festival celebrating Hispanic and Latin American cultures, the Asian American Celebration honoring the 19 Asian communities who call Richmond home, the Taste of India festival and the Lebanese Food Festival, to name a few events.
Richmond is increasingly diverse, and writer Joe Kutchera and Colombian artist Alfonso Pérez Acosta set out to capture that diversity in their book “Portraits of Immigrant Voices.” The two documented the personal histories and portraits of 22 immigrants to Richmond, and we share an excerpt on Page 104.
I was inspired by the remarkable aspects of the everyday stories shared by the four people featured. All of them left their homes, families and everything they knew to venture into the unknown, learning a new language, culture and way of life. And despite the inevitable challenges, they have all achieved success and built new lives in Richmond.
“Immigrants make great efforts to improve the lives of their own families,” says Brenda Aroche, who was born in Guatemala. “We work hard to adapt to the culture here. We work toward a life of dignity. We want to demonstrate the best of ourselves, manifest our hopes and dreams.” On July 4 at 10:30 a.m., the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, in partnership with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, will host a naturalization ceremony with more than 50 candidates for citizenship taking the Oath of Allegiance inside Commonwealth Hall, the museum’s new event space. It’s a wonderful event and a chance to see hopes and dreams realized.
This issue also includes a fun highlight of the region’s burgeoning beverage culture on Page 110, just in time to enjoy a refreshing drink during the hottest months. While the city’s beer scene gets a lot of attention, Richmond is also home to a creative cocktail culture. I especially enjoyed learning about the trend toward nonalcoholic drinks. While I enjoy a well-mixed cocktail, I rarely enjoy two — I’ve always had a low tolerance for alcohol. It’s great to see bars and restaurants recognizing that not everyone drinks, but that everyone deserves a special beverage.
Cheers! Happy summer!
