The many faces and customs of our multicultaural community are celebrated as the Somerville Reads Celebration unfolds at East Branch Library.- Photo by Carrie Stanziola

By Carrie Stanziola

On April 30, the Somerville East Branch Library launched its second annual Somerville Reads Celebration.  This year, the library chose The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, which chronicles one family’s journey from India to the United States. In the words of East Branch Librarian Marilyn Eastwood, “This time we thought it would be wonderful to get a book which would be expressive of the immigrant experience, what it’s like to come to this country and leave roots behind and grow roots here.”  The library also welcomes immigrants with free, volunteer-led ESL classes held at all three branches of the Somerville library. As part of the festivities, visitors were encouraged to take part in and “immigration quilt” to show their own family’s roots and the city’s diversity.

Especially popular was Mumbai-born henna artist Manishi Trevedi, who has lived in the United States for twelve years and practiced henna art for the same amount of time. Although henna is traditionally applied for special occasions such as weddings for good luck and religious celebrations including Diwali, henna has now become fashionable, with Trevedi in demand for birthday parties and Bat Mitzvahs. She has applied these temporary tattoos to children as young as four months old.

The celebration attracted participants of all ages and backgrounds, including Lena Escobar, who enjoyed a performance by the Somerville High School Nepali Dance Troupe with her baby daughter Ashley.  The dance, called Lhosar, has been performed at “many cultural events” in Somerville and is a traditional Buddhist dance.

The library also showcased an impressive display of fiction and non-fiction showcasing the immigrant experience. One such book, Denied, Detained, Deported, highlights the hostility immigrants have sometimes faced, such as the racist Chinese Exclusion Act and the politically motivated deportations of anarchists Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman.

Delicious food and beverages, including pakoras, samosas, fruit, drinks and cookies were generously donated by Diva, India Palace, Stop and Shop and RAC.

Librarian Meghan Forsell was particularly pleased with the turn-out, saying it was a great opportunity for people to recognize the existence of the library, as people have told her they’ve been going past the building for years without realizing it is a library.

If you missed Saturday’s event, there are still ample opportunities to participate in Somerville Reads. In addition to the Saturday fete, the library will hold a number of events, including a May exhibition of high school students’ art inspired by The Namesake, with a reception taking place on May 5 at 3:00 pm at the Central Library. On May 4 at 7:00 p.m, Tufts University professor Neil Miller will lead a discussion of the novel at the Central Library. On May 11 at 7:00, Joan Sindell will also lead a discussion at Porter Square Books on 25 White Street, Cambridge. On May 14 at 10:00 a.m., there will be a tour of Harvard’s Arthur M. Sackler Museum focusing on the Indian Arts and Culture collection. For required pre-registration, contact Karen Kramer at 617-623-5000 x2975. On May 18, Somerville librarian Kevin O’Kelly will lead a discussion of the novel at Sherman Café on 257 Washington Street. On May 25 at 7:00 p.m., Brandeis professor Harleen Sing will give a lecture on the immigrant story and women’s role in the novels of the Indian Diaspora at Somerville’s Central Library. Somerville Reads will culminate in a film festival at Central Library, with The Namesake on May 5 at 6:30, In America on May 18 at 7:00 p.m. and Hester Street on May 26 at 7:00 p.m.