Washington's demographic has rapidly changed over the past two decades, with cities like Kent becoming some of the most diverse in the country. Despite this, many cultural communities remain isolated and lack real opportunities for intercultural exchange. Most regional cultural offerings are aimed towards Eurocentric audiences and overlook the rich traditions of Washington's immigrant, refugee, and asylee communities.

      The Refugee and Immigrant Festival, organized by Wide World for Refugee, is a free annual event that seeks to change this. It will be a platform for every cultural community in Washington to share their food, arts, dance, language, and stories. This festival will be a celebration of the diversity of our community, featuring colorful cultural performances, intercultural dialogue, drama, poetry, and more. Unlike other regional cultural festivals, this event is led by immigrants and refugees themselves and is informed by their experiences.

      We invite everyone in our community to attend and participate in this festival, where we can come together and learn from one another across our differences. Let's make this a day to remember, where we celebrate the strength, resilience, and beauty of our immigrant and refugee communities.