As September 15 marks the beginning Hispanic Heritage MonthFayetteville is gearing up for more cultural events in September, starting with the Greek Festival next week and International folk festival at the end of the month.
Neighboring the Army’s most populous military installation in the world, Fort Bragg brings many cultures to the area.
According to 2020 census, The county’s racial and ethnic demographics increased in most categories compared to 2010.
The new census reports that 42.4 percent of the county’s residents are white and 38.1 percent are black. Nearly 2% are Native American or Alaskan, 2.7% are Asian, and 0.4% are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Nearly 10% of residents identified as two or more races.
In 2010, Cumberland County’s Hispanic population was 9.4%, which increased to 11.8% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In his Analysis 2022 released this month, Wallethub ranked Fayetteville 50th out of 145 mid-sized cities in the United States for its ethnic diversity.
Here’s a look at Fayetteville’s cultural groups catering to its diverse population.
African, Caribbean and Black groups
• Umoja Group is a Fayetteville-based nonprofit organization that “initiates and supports activities that promote positive African, African American, and Caribbean history, arts, and culture, and then shares this rich heritage with others to strengthen respect, cooperation and unity.” The group holds the annual Umoja festival on the fourth Saturday in August.
Read it:Fayetteville’s Umoja group promotes black unity in the city
• Fayetteville Caribbean American Connection “promotes and maintains Caribbean culture in and around Fayetteville.” The group organized the annual Caribbean American Heritage Month festival in June.
Related:Hundreds of people take part in the Caribbean festival
• THE Ghana Association of Fayetteville is for people of Ghanaian descent “to form a social, cultural, educational, and non-profit organization” that promotes and shares traditions.
• Around 1865 promotes “unity within the African American diaspora,” love of culture, and respect for heritage through African American-centered entertainment and education. The organization holds citywide celebrations for African-American holidays, including Juneteenth and Kwanza.
Previously:Fayetteville Circa 1865 Promotes Black Unity
• THE Cultural and heritage alliance is a non-profit organization “dedicated to promoting peace through dance performances, cultural exhibitions, music and storytelling to preserve and inform others of the culture, customs and traditions of all peoples.” Indigenous Peoples “. The organization organizes the annual conference African World Peace Festival. This year’s event took place September 9-11.
Gallery:African World Peace Festival
• The main objective of Jordan River Council on African American Heritage is to “collect, preserve, and interpret the history and heritage of African Americans.”
Hispanic and Latino groups
• Latinos united for progress advocates for the “well-being of the Latino community through programs and projects that promote education, leadership, development and cooperation.”
• Boricuas in North Carolina And Boricuas in Fayetteville provides a space for Puerto Ricans in North Carolina to connect with their culture and traditions and hosts the Chinchorreo Festival in Hope Mills which took place earlier this month.
Porto Rico:Discover the gastronomy and culture of Puerto Rico
• The Mexican American Association of Fayetteville represents Mexico in festivals, parades and schools and organizes a Day of the Dead festival each year.
More:The LatinX community shares life in the Fayetteville area
• The Latino community connects is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to “serve as a bridge between organizations, professionals, and agencies serving the specific needs of the Latino community.”
Asian groups
• THE Korean-American Association of Fayetteville improves “the quality of life of Fayetteville’s Korean community through organizational services, community programs, and partnerships with other organizations.”
• The purpose of Filipino-American Club of Fayetteville is “to conduct any charitable, educational or civic enterprise authorized by law.”
• THE Fayetteville Okinawa Kenjinkai The group is aimed at people born in Okinawa, Japan, and its members are first-generation Japanese. The group promotes Okinawan culture and performs Ryukyu dance and Sanshin.
Asia-Pacific Heritage Month:Asian Pacific Heritage Month Observed at Fort Bragg
Pacific Island groups
• THE Pacific Islands Group Fayetteville/Fort Bragg is intended for “Polynesian brothers and sisters” who are new to the area or who have been at Fort Bragg for a while and want to connect with others on and off post.
• THE Marianas Chamorro Association celebrates the culture of the Mariana Islands with the Chamorros in Fayetteville.
• Aloha Ka’naka O Hula Halau is a Hawaiian and Polynesian dance group that performs at events throughout the region, including the International Folk Festival.
More:Hawaiians in Fayetteville struggle to build community in the city
Middle Eastern groups
• THE North Carolina Arab American Society is a nonprofit organization founded by Fayetteville academic, medical and business professionals. The group is “committed to promoting Arabic language and culture, supporting and defending the human and civil rights and freedoms of Arab American families and other minorities, and serving the public voice of the Arab community -American. ”
Thanksgiving:Afghan refugees and military families celebrate Thanksgiving together
Native American groups
• While the Lumbee Tribe is located in neighboring Robeson County, Cumberland County Association for Indians “strengthens self-determination and self-sufficiency with respect to the socio-economic development, legal and political welfare of the Native Americans of Cumberland County. »
European groups
• THE Ancient Order of Hibernians – Fayetteville, North Carolina is “an Irish-American philanthropic organization whose primary goal is to support local communities and their needs, while celebrating and sharing Ireland’s unique history, music and language for all to enjoy.”
• Fayetteville Sons of Italy is part of the Order of the Sons of Italy, “the largest and oldest national organization for men and women of Italian ancestry” in the United States. The group “leads a series of local programs designed to celebrate and preserve” Italian culture and heritage.
• THE Cape Fear Valley Scottish Clans preserves and promotes “the history, culture and traditions of the early Scottish settlers of the upper Cape Fear Valley”, while the Caroline Caledonian Festival also celebrates Scottish heritage.
More:Scottish heritage celebrated at festival
Religious and spiritual groups
• THE Fayetteville Greek Festival is organized every year at Saints Constantine and Helena Greek Orthodox Church, 614 Oakridge Avenue in Fayetteville. This year’s festival is scheduled for September 17-18.
Greek festival:Hundreds of people celebrate
• Beth Israel is located at 2204 Morganton Road in Fayetteville and welcomes learners and practicing Jews with a mission to “provide a strong culture of rooted Jewish life in Fayetteville as it seeks to “maintain strong and inclusive interfaith bonds.”
More:“This place is an extended family”
• The Islamic Center of Fayetteville at 2415 Rosehill Road was established “for the purpose of establishing a mosque, school and dawah center in a central location” in Fayetteville. Regular activities include organizing Jummah Salat every Friday, regular weekend Islamic study activities for children and adults, community social activities, community outreach activities and Eid functions and of Janazah.
11/09:Fayetteville’s Muslim leaders continue to challenge stereotypes, 20 years after 9/11
• Hindu Bhavan of Fayetteville is located at 907 Cedar Creek Road and is a nonprofit organization that promotes “Hindu culture and philosophy.”
• St. George Coptic Orthodox Church is located in the 7200 block of Raeford Road and serves Fayetteville Christian Egyptians.
• German Stock Exchange Fayetteville NC is an interfaith language group that meets every fourth Sunday of the month at Walstone Memorial Baptist Church, 260 Walstone Road, to “speak German to keep the language and culture alive.”
• Holiness Church of God is a church located at 6427 Cliffdale Road and serves the Haitian community of Fayetteville.
• Vietnamese-American Baptist Church of Fayetteville is at 6248 Cliffdale Road.
• Korean Presbyterian Church is located at 1251 Ireland Drive in Fayetteville. The church holds its annual spring roll fundraiser every spring.
Hungry?:Korean church spring rolls are a delight, but the sauce is a secret
Read it:Churches are the center of Fayetteville’s black community
Editor Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
