The Venue

10 a.m.: Event Opening

• Teona Shainidze-Krebs, Chief Executive Officer, Pikes Peak Library District
• Poem: Still I Rise by Maya Angelou, read by Denise Abbott, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, Pikes Peak Library District

The Venue

10:30 a.m.: Pikes Peak Traditional Dance

Contra Dance 

Taught by a caller and performed with live folk music, Contra Dance is a social folk dance blending square dance and swing in which a pattern of steps is repeated through a song. No partners or special dress is required; all ages and sizes are welcome to join the fun! Pikes Peak Traditional Dance will be performing a demonstration dance and an audience participation dance.   

The Venue

11 a.m.: Pranavalaya Arts  

Bollywood

Pranavalaya Arts brings together Bollywood, Indian folk, and classical dance traditions in performances that celebrate the richness, beauty, and diversity of Indian culture. 

The Venue

11:30 a.m.: Ms. FreChelle Von Gurley

Our Voices Ring Freedom

Before freedom found its voice, African American women raised theirs — and the world was never the same. Experience the pulse of a powerful theatrical celebration honoring African American women, whose music, courage, and words transformed struggle into resistance, resilience, and radiance. With soulful melodies and moving spoken words rising like a battle cry, this electrifying production brings history to life — reminding us that song is a universal language and healer. When we sing the past awakens, the present trembles, and legacies are born. 

The Venue

Noon: Anointed Guidance

Rueda de Bachata

Anointed Guidance brings the energy and connection of Rueda de Bachata to the Colorado Springs community in a fun, lively showcase. Through music and movement, dancers come together through partner changes and playful calls, creating an experience that celebrates bachata music, connection, and community. 

The Venue

12:30 p.m.: Hawak Kamay Dance Company

History of Filipinos in the Rockies & Preserving Philippine Indigenous Cultures  

Hawak Kamay Dance Company was founded in 2023 by Maria Theresa Abcede and Namdev Palalay Singh. Hawak Kamay, which means "holding hands" in Tagalog, represents the spirit of coming together. Together, they dance to celebrate the richness of Filipino cultures and traditions. Their mission is to keep their culture-bearers' legacies alive, to educate, and to spread awareness of Indigenous cultures from the Philippines.   

CreateSpace

10:45 a.m.: Neshia Branch—True to Your Destiny

There is a Voice Within Her  

Neshia Branch is a local spoken-word artist and the founder of True to Your Destiny, an organization dedicated to empowering women in the community. Through powerful storytelling and original poetry, she uses her voice to highlight real-life experiences and resilience. Her performance will bring an inspiring and moving perspective to the stage. 

CreateSpace

11:15 a.m.: Catherine Jade Grandorff

Mesa and Memory: Writing Place and Family

The high deserts of New Mexico have long been a place where languages and cultures arrive, collide, and survive in unexpected forms. In this session, writer and scholar Catherine Jade Grandorff weaves New Mexican history with poems from her collection White Lies, connecting conquest, diaspora, the erosion of mother tongues, and a return to the land. Following the reading and presentation, attendees are invited to a guided writing session that will explore questions about the languages and places.

CreateSpace

11:45 a.m.: Kim Nguyen

Healing Through Art

Art therapist Kim Nguyen will explore how art therapy transforms trauma recovery by sharing personal experiences that demonstrate a powerful, non-verbal path to deep psychological healing. Because traumatic memories are often stored visually and physically in the body rather than in language centers, traditional talk therapy can sometimes fall short or feel overwhelming. She will discuss the practice of creative expression and explain and give examples about working with colors, shapes, and textures to help survivors safely externalize painful experiences, regain a sense of personal control, and ground their nervous systems.

CreateSpace

12:15 p.m.: James Divine

I Cannoli Imagine

James Divine has many humorous stories to share that bridge the span between Italian culture and language. He believes in the American dream and is proof of it. His mom had a first-grade education, but he graduated from college and has a master's degree. One of his sons graduated from Yale and is now a federal judge.

CreateSpace

12:45 p.m.: Tang & Barfoot

The Spirit of Mulan, The Dream of Peace

Tang Cuifang (Gezi Tang) is a Chinese artist and teacher whose lifelong experience with autism has inspired her dedication to art, compassion, and peace. Her Doves of Peace paintings have received numerous awards and been featured in exhibitions. She will present a scene from the traditional Chinese opera Mulan to explore the human cost and cruelty of war, followed by a presentation of her long-scroll painting inspired by the Olympic Spirit,” which she has worked on for more than a decade. She will invite audience members who share a love of peace to sign the scroll, continuing similar “Love Peace” signing events previously held in New York and Washington.