At Unity Fest in Clarkston, children celebrate their cultures, both old and new

Dozens of kids jumped up and down on a makeshift stage outside Indian Creek Elementary School on Saturday afternoon, dancing to Shakira’s 2010 World Cup anthem “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” They were there for DeKalb County Schools’ Unity Fest, an annual celebration of “the cultures that make DeKalb so vibrant,” now in its third year. 
The diversity of Indian Creek Elementary, as well as other nearby schools, was on full display under the bright sun as kids of all ages and backgrounds took to the stage.

The majority of students at Indian Creek are English learners, coming from 40 different countries and speaking 45 different languages. Students from Indian Creek and Freedom Middle School performed a Karen dance; students in a Korean music ensemble played the gayageum, a traditional 12-stringed instrument; and a Brockett Elementary student even offered a rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.”

Dr. Adam Nykamp, who’s taught at Indian Creek for over two decades, said that, over the years, he’s seen waves of different students coming from countries around the world. “If you watch the news, you’ll figure out who’s coming five years from now.” 

With Trump’s ban on refugee arrivals, though, this year and last year have been different. “We’ve seen a lot less of the growth we normally get. Pretty much the only new students we see are those who come from other states or moved into the area,” Adam said. “We’re not getting just the brand-new to the country.”

The festival came as discussions of closures and changes across the DeKalb County School District are being considered, though Indian Creek Elementary, which serves close to 900 students, is not expected to be affected. 

There was supposed to be a moonwalk at the festival this year, said Adam, but “our moonwalk people canceled.” Still, he said on Saturday, “we made do. There are a lot more gathered here, I think, [than] in years past.”

Not having a moonwalk to bounce on didn’t seem to bother Iccha, the youngest performer to grace the stage. A pre-K student whose family is from Nepal, she danced to “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, attracting dozens of screaming little fans. She learned of the song “from TV at home,” she told 285 South, while relaxing in the arms of her 16-year-old sister after her performance. Asked how she felt on stage, with a crowd cheering her on, she said, “I feel excited!”