This is a contribution from a Swampscott High School student, as part of the Swampscott Tides Big Blue Student News selection. 

Story by Joey Blood

On May 16, Students Of Color Association (SOCA) and Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) held its annual Heritage Festival at the Swampscott Town Hall. 

“The goal is to bring the community out, build camaraderie as well as to show the diversity of Swampscott,” said METCO co-director Temi Bailey. “Honestly it’s been great every year.” 

This event first started in 2022. This time around there were two musical performances, a traditional dance, and a poem read by two middle schoolers on what it means to appreciate your heritage. There were also bounce houses, which were “a great hit with the kids,” Bailey said.

SOCA’s main goal is to show the diversity of Swampscott and its cultures, with the Heritage Festival serving as its largest event each year. 

“Not many people think Swampscott is a very diverse area,” Bailey said. “Being able to showcase that and host events like this where townspeople who are of different culture, different backgrounds, can come out, host a table to show their culture to show their heritage.”

This year’s Heritage Festival featured traditional food from Africa, Europe and the Dominican Republic. There was also a table from Swampscott Unites, Respects, and Embraces (SURE) Diversity at the event, educating people on the power and emphasis of different cultures.

There was a small fundraiser at Swampscott High School to raise money for SOCA as well. People paid for a student of their choice to be pied. Whoever had the most money in their jar was the student who got the dessert in their face. 

Janerys Jaquez was the winner but since she did not go to the festival so another student, Rayyan Asad, was pied instead.