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The Year of the Fire Rooster

Written & Photographed by: Kylie Henson

Red festive Chinese dragon decorationOn Wednesday, February 1st, Metropolitan State University of Denver hosted the Chinese New Year Celebration for 2017. The event was held in the Student Success Building on the Auraria campus. Students, Faculty, & Staff came together to explore elements of the Chinese culture.

Each area of the venue covered a different aspect of the culture. In one area, participants could indulge in the traditional Chinese cuisine. The dishes ranged from delectable egg rolls to savory Beijing beef. Another area was designed to let students experiment with ink and Chinese calligraphy. This practice was led by a Community College of Denver visiting staff member, Gang Xi. Along with the calligraphy table, there was also a mask making table and a traditional Chinese painting practice table.Person practicing Chinese caligraphy

Collaboratively, each piece of the event created an experience that was unforgettable. Since we are staring the year of the fire rooster, it is important to understand what this symbolizes in Chinese culture.

The rooster is almost the epitome of fidelity and punctuality. For ancestors who had no alarm clocks, the crowing was significant, as it could awaken people to get up and start to work. In Chinese culture, another symbolic meaning of chicken carries is exorcising evil spirits. Along with the rooster, each Chinese New Year a new element is also selected as a pair to the animal. The cycle is similar to the way each animal is chosen; in other words an element and an animal are cycled through each year. With this in mind, the “Fire Rooster” is symbolic of holding a strong sense of time and being trustworthy, as well as it is said to be good at saving money. 

The Chinese New Year is a unique event that is celebrated in the Chinese culture. In fact, it is known as one of the most important holidays in China. The day is celebrated on the first day of the first month according to Chinese calendar and is also known as Lunar New Year. The day is rooted in centuries old customs and traditions and is one of the most popular public holidays in China.

Although we all have different cultures, celebrating our these cultures in solidarity with each other can help to build stronger communities.

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Utilizing Technology to Promote Diversity

Written By: Kylie Henson

As our society continues to indulge in technology, it can be difficult to have a positive outlook on the utilization of technology. Many people have said that technology is taking over our lives, which in some perspectives can be true, although technology is surely making our lives less complicated. Furthermore, the access that is at our fingertips can be utilized to help leaders, educators, and professionals to internationally promote diversity by the touch of a button. This access opens a new door full of possibilities for outreach farther than our local communities, past our state borders, and even overseas.

So you might be thinking, well this is all a grand idea, but how can this be executed? Well, it is simpler than you think. Using your own creative brain and technology the possibilities are endless. All you have to do is try, and if everything fails, you can always try something new since technology is still growing and changing as we speak.

For instance, you can start a blog or a feature. Creating a blog with the purpose of promoting diversity cultivates a platform to share ideas or discuss pressing issues. Since technology has become accessible to most people, a blog can be seen and read by millions of viewers across the globe. By using such a rich resource, the internet, you can quickly and efficiently extend your reach to share the ideas that can motivate people to be more inclusive and more diverse as a whole.

With attention to the utilization of technology, another form to promote diversity would be through webinars. For those of you who do not know, a webinar is a seminar that is conducted over the internet. Through webinars, you could conduct a variety of different seminars that relate to diversity. The topics can pertain to something specific such as “Bullying” or even something as broad as “Diversity on College Campuses”. By creating a webinar you can expand your audience to maximize the impact of your message.

If you can utilize these resources, the boundaries for promoting diversity can be broken.

What is next for diversity & technology? Leave a comment below with your ideas!