This year’s 11th Annual Multicultural Education Conference held at Sacramento State on March 12, helped provide teachers with tools to assist underrepresented students in the community.

The event’s goal was to inform K-12 teachers and administrators of ways to improve classroom practices dealing with multicultural and bilingual education, which drew in over 500 attendees.

“Our aim is to develop teachers who will be social activists,” said conference co-chair Maggie Beddow, assistant education professor for Bilingual and Multicultural Education.

Keynote speaker, filmmaker, lecturer and diversity trainer Lee Mun Wah, spoke of abolishing racism, sexism, homophobia and created an interactive setting in which the crowd became part of his speech.

“Dr. Lee Mun Wah had almost a visionary perspective,” said Forrest Davis, conference co-chair and associate professor of Bilingual and Multicultural Education.

Sac State President Alexander Gonzalez gave an opening speech where he spoke of his involvement in the Hispanic community, his own personal struggles and visions for Sac State in the future.

“I think the audience was invigorated by his presence,” Davis said.

Out of the 11 years the conference has been held on campus, this is the first time a Sac State president has participated.

Alumni of the Multicultural Multilingual Teacher Preparation Association helped the conference by putting on workshops and giving lectures for the conference from individuals as far away as Wisconsin.

The Bilingual and Multicultural Education program has 65-70 new recruits coming next year who will be involved in the association.

Beddow said the department likes to network with former students but is also looking forward to new students being involved in the program.

“We believe in our program and we hope to receive new recruits,” Beddow said. “We hope that some of those attendees will come through our department.”

Current students helped out with this year’s conference assisting individuals who spoke as well as completing other tasks.

“We’ll be answering questions anyone has about the department,” said Aurora Franco graduate student in the credential program as well as in the Multicultural Multilingual Teacher Preparation Association, prior to the conference.

“There has been a steady incline of attendees throughout the campus and community,” Davis said who has been involved in the conference since its inception.

Both Davis and Beddow agreed the event has been increasing in popularity.

“There has been a steady incline of attendees throughout the campus and community,” Davis said.

Beddow said, “Each year the event seems to be getting better.”

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Anthony Giovanini can be reached at [email protected]