An event brought hundreds out in East Lansing, this time to celebrate diversity in the community.
We sent FOX 47's Cryss Walker to All Saints Episcopal Church to talk to people taking a peaceful stand against white supremacy.
While one crowd met to support White Nationalist Richard Spencer on one side of East Lansing, there was another group of people having a gathering of their own.
“I feel like the less attention we draw to hate and hateful rhetoric the better”, said Joy Campbell, who came out to support diversity in the community.
“I think it's important to just join with others of like mind”, Campbell continued.
In a time where some are encouraging a division between races and supporting white supremacy, others came together, celebrating their diversity and differences.
“We're all here now. I'm an indigenous person, when I hear things about no immigrants allowed, it's ridiculous to me”, said Lansing resident Nicole Biber.
“Because that's not what my people said. We said welp, here you are now, so now we're all a part of the same circle”, Biber explained.
That same circle of like-minded people met Monday night to counter-protest a speech about white nationalism and to say no to hate.
“Protest hatred in their own way, whether it's just supporting uh an agenda to promote peace and positivity and inclusion and diversity”, said Tyson Pumphrey.
“That's one way to protest, right, just be there in support in solidarity”, Pumphrey said.
Standing in solidarity to support diversity.
“I think diversity in general is a very important topic”, said Michigan State University student Souichi Terada.
“For me, I take that very passionately as an Asian American individual on a predominately white campus. For me it's very important”, Terada continued.
All the money raised at the Celebration of Diversity Festival will be donated to the Global Institute of Lansing, which is a school that helps refugees get their high school diploma.
