A Diverse Struggle - establishing a cultural center and an awareness of diversity in Scottsdale, Arizona - Brief Article

American Visions, August, 2000 by Deborah Rouse

When photographer and sculptor Sandra Rembrandt relocated to Scottsdale, Ariz., from California 11 years ago, she believed that she had stumbled upon an utter utopia. Soon, however, the vile stench of racism in her community began battling heavily against the city's visual splendor: Her then young, multiracial son was being physically abused by classmates. "His skin color didn't meet their approval," she states defiantly. Appalled, Rembrandt looked to parents and teachers for assistance; all she found was resentment and indifference.

She fought back, not through rebellious means, but through the medium she knew best: the arts. She founded Community Celebrating Diversity, an arts-and-humanities-based organization, in 1992. The organization's initial undertaking was a breakfast held in 1993 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Given the state's infamous racial tensions, Rembrandt was initially a bit skeptical of her venture's prospects for success. Over the past seven years, however, the growing number of citizens that the annual breakfast event attracts has pleasantly surprised her.

Fueled by positive feedback, Rembrandt also established the Southwestern Cultural Center in Scottsdale--a museum and community center celebrating multiethnic cultures through basket weaving, music, tai chi, dance, and sand painting workshops. The center's exhibitions focus on documentary photographs and artifacts related to the migration of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and other cultures.

This year, Community Celebrating Diversity held a Martin Luther King Jr. banquet at its headquarters at Scottsdale Community College. Children from local school art programs created pieces derived from their own concepts of diversity and harmony in the world. Their creative labor took the forms of table centerpieces and wall hangings. Activist Yolanda King was the keynote speaker for the event, and Rembrandt was honored as Citizen of the Year for addressing the cultural misunderstandings and racial biases of the community. The city also proclaimed January 12 Sandra Rembrandt Day.

Rembrandt continues her fight for ethnic harmony through her latest venture, Rembrandt Diversity House Inc., a consulting firm that seeks to promote cultural harmony not only through artistic means, but also through health, life and family matters.

"There has been a full-circle resurrection and epiphany with respect to the message and footprints of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," Rembrandt says. "It took a little time and a lot of hard lessons, but I eventually ended up where I needed to be."--Deborah Rouse