Tucson Meet Yourself Reconnect 2021

Date and Time for this Past Event

Fri, Oct 8, 2021 - Sun, Oct 10, 2021

Location

Details

Greetings Down Town Tucson,

My name is Vana Lewis, I'm the Volunteer Coordinator now for the annual folklife festival Tucson Meet Yourself. This year we are focusing on reconnecting and having a smaller footprint than previous years. As an outdoors event, we have been given a go-ahead from the County Health Department. I am personally reaching out to you; on behalf of TMY, we would like to invite you to a worthy volunteer opportunity.

With excitement, we are currently seeking volunteers for this year's festival. We have made our volunteer registration easy to find, available shifts/positions available can be found on our website here: https://tucsonmeetyourself.org/2021-volunteer-registration/

We truly appreciate the intention and labor of our volunteers because they are the ones who make the festival happen! Once a volunteer checks in at the Volunteer Center, they will receive a shirt to wear during their shift. After a volunteer completes a 4-hour shift and checks out at the Volunteer Center, they receive a food voucher to try at ANY of the eateries offered at TMY. In addition, many positions offer leadership development skills that can be included in student resumes.

The 48th edition of TMY will return to its traditional downtown location with a reduced footprint and social distance/health safety measures.

TMY is fully aware that covid-19 is still a concern. We are following CDC guidelines and creating a safe place once again to “Reconnect” with our cultural festival here in Tucson! The 2021 “Reconnect” version will be slightly smaller to allow for a better flow of people (avoid density and overcrowding). We will implement as many COVID safety measures as possible, including masks, sanitizers, social distance, and others. Our team of curators is taking this opportunity to re-focus and prioritize the educational aspects of the event.

You can find information on Tucson Meet Yourself by clicking the link.

Tucson Meet Yourself (TMY) is one of the largest multicultural festivals in Arizona and one of the largest and oldest in the United States. TMY allows the community to come together to understand each other's culture by representing dozens of different cultures in Tucson. TMY is a three day event (October 8-10, 2021) where people come together in unity and appreciation in the meaning of culture, and people see the worthiness in one another. In pre-pandemic days, approximately 150,000 people attended the festival during the three days and over 65 ethnic food vendors raised funds for their own nonprofit or community group. Over 40 exhibitors shared information about their art and/or community organization and 104 individual folk artists displayed and held workshops teaching their traditional art. Over 180 musicians, singers, dancers told their traditional folk story through musical artistry, dance and ritual movements. (These numbers will differ this coming TMY festival due to Covid -19 precautions).

TMY is also active in our minimal waste initiative and kept approximately 14,000 pounds of material out of Tucson’s landfills by sending 6,000 pounds of plastic, cardboard, and aluminum to the recycling center and 8,000 pounds of organic waste to our composting partners.

I have attached a copy of our volunteer circular, feel free to share with your networks. There is a very strong expression of gratitude and appreciation for your support.

Please contact me with questions or concerns. My direct line is (520) 775-2250.

With much respect,

Vana Dee Lewis

Volunteer Coordinator