On August 28th, the rhythm and rhyme of Jamaican, Latin, Russian, and other cultures could be heard and felt at Spring Creek Senior Partners’ (SCSP) Annual International Cultural Festival in the Brooklyn Sports Club’s (BSC) gymnasium. Thumping beats reverberated in the gymnasium as seniors swayed to Soca music, a genre that originated in Trinidad. It did not matter if you were unfamiliar with that particular type of music because everyone was able to get into the rhythm, dancing the afternoon away. The entire affair offered seniors the opportunity to embrace their own culture as well as celebrate Spring Creek Towers’ diversity.

The best part of SCSP’s annual festival is that it invites seniors to share traditional food from their heritage. The sweet smell of fried plantains, Panamanian codfish, Latin rice and beans, and an assortment of other foods were all tantalizing treats for attendees to enjoy. SCSP’s staff helped distribute food that was donated by seniors, fellow staff members, and local restaurants (Golden Crust and Armando’s Pizza). In addition to listening to music and eating a wide array of freshly cooked food, the seniors were also able to learn about other countries. SCSP’s staff created poster boards with brief facts on Bangladesh, India, Belarus, Japan, China, Philippines, Ukraine, Germany, Lithuania, and so many other areas around the world.

“Our goal at SCSP is to have the seniors feel like they are a part of society, and to be able to have fun as anybody else would,” said Ronald Jean, the Director of SCSP.

Before the event culminated, Anya Buberman, SCSP’s Coordinator of Volunteers and Special Projects, hosted an International Fashion show where the seniors were able to show traditional garments and accessories from their culture. Strutting across a red carpet, the older adults displayed bright and colorful attire from Puerto Rico, Panama, and Nigeria.

Overall, the ambiance at the SCSP’s event was bright and colorful giving residents the feeling of being transported around the world.