Had she lived, Anne Frank would have celebrated her 75th birthday this year. Though she died at age 15 in a Nazi concentration camp, her diary continues to inspire new generations and teach us about the horrific consequences of intolerance and racism.

That was the mission of The Anne Frank Project: Lessons in Tolerance and Understanding, a joint effort of the Orlando Repertory Theatre and the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center in Maitland, Florida. Partially funded by Darden Restaurants Foundation grants, the project represented a unique opportunity to present the lessons of Anne Frank's life to a wider audience than either of the organizations might have been able to do on its own. Learning

Through the Arts

"Partnerships like this help all of us build bridges and make connections to the different parts of our community through the arts,” says Cathy Wagner, program director of the Orlando Repertory Theatre, which is dedicated to bringing outstanding professional theatre to Central Florida families.

The Holocaust Center’s mission is to combat anti- Semitism, racism and bigotry through Holocaust remembrance and education. The missions of each organization came together beautifully in the Anne Frank project, which included performances of a newly adapted version of “The Diary of Anne Frank” at the Repertory Theatre, children’s workshops, an exhibit of Frank family photos and learning activities for schools. The program also fulfilled two of the Darden Restaurants Foundation’s goals: to enhance the visual and performing arts for children and families, and foster diversity, fairness and tolerance.

“The Holocaust is a testimony to our history as a people, that we’re all connected. What happened in the Holocaust is what brought the world together,” says Chris Jorie, artistic director of the Repertory Theatre. “Being mindful of that concept and the lessons we learned, makes it imperative that we continue to tell the story.”
     

Volunteer Spotlight:
Carlos Porras

A casual conversation with a relative set Olive Garden General Manager Carlos Porras in Lewisville, Texas, on a path to community involvement that he’s followed for almost two decades. One day his brother mentioned that Grand Prairie, Texas, where they both lived, needed a celebration of Mexican culture and history. That spur-of-the-moment thought led to a citywide Cinco de Mayo celebration, and 18 years later Carlos is still involved in the event, which has grown beyond his wildest dreams.

Since joining Olive Garden, his enthusiasm for the cultural celebration hasn’t waned. “The early Cinco de Mayo celebrations mainly revolved around bringing friends, family and the community together in a purely fun gathering to honor Mexican history,” Carlos says. But since joining with a local organization called HACE (Hispanic Association for Culture and

Education), the celebration also became a way to raise scholarship money for worthy students.

Today, Grand Prairie’s annual Cinco de Mayo is a full day of activities highlighting Latino culture, including a parade, food booths, an arts and crafts show, children’s activities, mariachi bands, Mexican Folklórico dancers, dramas and other entertainment. About 15,000 people attended this year’s event.

Over the years, Carlos has served on the celebration’s board of directors, interviewed scholarship applicants and encouraged Olive Garden employees to apply for scholarships. Though volunteering can take a lot of time, he says it’s time well spent. “I may give a lot, but I get a lot back, too,” he says. “Once I experienced what the event and scholarships mean to the families and children involved, I got hooked.”