Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University Helps to Organize Conference Exploring WNY’s Cultural Migration Heritage
The Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., president of Niagara University, welcomed participants to the New York Folklore Society’s annual fall conference, which was held Sept. 8-9 at the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University.
Co-organized by the New York Folklore Society, Castellani Art Museum, and regional folklorists, “Cultural Migrations: Displacement and Renewal” focused on wide-ranging themes including place making through food and language, micro-enterprise, and the importance of culturally sensitive community health services.
Bryan Printup, a member of the Tuscarora Nation, opened Saturday’s symposium with a traditional Iroquois Thanksgiving address. Christina Pope, regional director for Welcoming America, gave the keynote address, which discussed her organization’s successful model for bridging divides between immigrants and longer-term receiving communities across the country.