Albany State University will host its first Cultural Literacy Festival, Tuesday, Jan. 19 - Thursday, Jan. 21 to celebrate diversity around the world. The event, presented by the university’s Strengthening Foreign Language and International Programs unit, will feature experts in journalism, television, the visual arts, history and oral storytelling.

“I hope that Albany State University and the Albany community will gain a greater knowledge and appreciation for the various cultures represented,” said Devona Mallory, director of Strengthening Foreign Language and International Programs. “I also hope that the event bring awareness to the human condition and provides an understanding of how we all interconnect despite our differences.”

Pulitzer Prize Award recipient and veteran-journalist, Sonia Nazario, will kick off the festival with a keynote presentation of the novel “Enrique’s Journey” Tuesday, from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. in the Billy C. Black Auditorium on the campus of Albany State University. Nazario has spent the last 20 years reporting and writing about some of the nation’s most important social issues, including hunger, drug addiction and immigration. In 2003, Nazario’s series for the Los Angeles Times, which detailed the story of a Honduran boy's struggle to find his mother in the U.S., won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing, among other honors. Now a best-selling book, “Enrique's Journey” delivers an honest portrayal of the lives of millions of illegal immigrants.

The festival continues Wednesday with “An Introduction to Gullah Culture: A journey through the stories, songs, language, history and culture of the Gullah community” by former Emmy nominee, Natalie Daise. Daise is well known to television audiences via her role as a fictionalized version of herself in Nickelodeon and Noggin TV’s “Gullah Gullah Island.” For more than 20 years, Daise has developed and facilitated interactive learning experiences nationwide for educators, students, and diverse audiences in schools, universities, and more. Wednesday’s presentation will be held at the International Studies Elementary Charter School at 2237 Cutts Dr. in Albany, Ga., from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Daise will host a one-day residency on Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon in ASU’s Billy C. Black Auditorium. The visit will include performances, classroom sessions and interactive demonstrations.

The festival concludes on Thursday with “Rediscovering History: From Africa to Albany,” a presentation by amateur cultural anthropologist and historian, Michael A. Harper. Performing the role of an African griot, or storyteller, Harper shares cultural knowledge and experience through a unique performance. Harper’s presentation will be held in the Billy C. Black auditorium from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Cultural Literacy Festival is funded by the Title III Program.