Janson Jones of Floridana Alaskiana v2.5 has completed work on the third of his True Diversity Dinner videos. (You can view the first two parts here.)
Assembly Member Elvi Gray-Jackson at the True Diversity Dinner
This video includes footage from the protest of Hilton workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 878, outside the Mayor’s Unity Dinner, which was held at the Hilton Anchorage outside down the street from the True Diversity Dinner’s venue at the Snow Goose Restaurant. Janson highlights a couple of reader responses to a brief Anchorage Daily News item about yesterday’s Hotel Workers Rising March (I’ll be posting my photos of it later), in which readers made bigoted comments about hotel workers’ presumed immigration status: yet another sign of how far we have yet to go in truly accepting and appreciating diversity in our community.
What diversity looks like: Hotel workers protesting outside the Mayor's Unity Dinner at the Hilton Anchorage
The balance of the video is Assembly Member Elvi Gray-Jackson’s speech at the dinner. I’ve gotta say again, just as I told her that night: thank you for being the Assembly member from my district who actually represents me. If you missed the True Diversity Dinner, here’s your chance to hear what she had to say.
Janson says there may be as many as four or five additonal videos in store covering the performances and speeches made that night. Stay tuned!
