TEC's black history event inclusive to all cultures

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Erik Gallion
  • I.G. Brown Training and Education Center

The I.G. Brown Training and Education Center in East Tennessee celebrated Black History Month, February 19, with a campus event that encouraged and celebrated all cultures.

Staff and faculty came together at Spruance Hall and brought different foods of personal cultural relevance as well as artifacts that represented their heritage.

“The TEC culture tour is a way for us to highlight every member of TEC’s culture and upbringing; the different traditions that we hold, where we’re from, different things that our families did while we were growing up,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Danielle Davis, Airman leadership school instructor.

The idea came about when the morale committee realized that they only celebrated African American history and LGBT pride during the previous year.

The committee said that it then sought to celebrate everyone’s background and let all know that they are important as well as welcome to showcase their backgrounds.

Displays included a banjo performance to recognize Appalachian heritage, a curling presentation with equipment such as a curling stone, shoes, and broom, and a story about how music allowed a military kid to integrate into any subculture, no matter which part of the world her family moved.

Sergeant Davis also quizzed attendees on the accomplishments of black Americans.

Some foods provided were chicken, chips and salsa, red beans and rice, mashed potatoes, different stews, and jambalaya. The morale committee offered soft drinks.

“I was really impressed about how they got multiple cultures and people from multiple walks of life to come together and tell their stories in a way that was so captivating, that each person was interesting in their own right,” said Tech. Sgt. Octavia Dockery, noncommissioned officer academy instructor. “They highlighted everyone’s contributions.”