LOCAL COLORS

Pearl Fu

It is her sincere desire to help immigrants, new citizens, visitors, and ethnic nationals to acclimate themselves to their communities.  And in conjunction with this effort she helps all nationalities to Understand each other's Cultures.  

Pearl Fu, real name Dragon Pearl, is a native of China.  Pearl received bilingual education in Hong Kong.  She then attended Maywood College in Pa. and received an Artist Diploma from Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore Maryland.

She is the founder/organizer of Roanoke’s Premiere Multicultural year round program LOCAL COLORS.  It’s mission is to embrace people of all origins and backgrounds to acclimate life in America.  To give lectures, performances, workshops, programs about cultural sensitivity at schools, colleges, businesses, religious and civic organizations, hospitals, nursing homes, law enforcement and art organizations.  To learn and share the 75 diverse cultures residing in the Roanoke Valley.  It all Culminates in one festive day in May in Elmwood Park with a celebration filled with Parade, music, art, games, fashion, language, authentic food, dance and plenty of goodwill !  It has garnered the prestigious “LOCAL LEGACY” award as an outstanding program from SW VA and is documented in the Library of Congress.

Pearl has no qualm about approaching perfect strangers and recruiting them to become involved in local cultural events, such as Local Colors.  That is how she expanded Local Colors from only 4 countries to 75 Countries participating this year!

Pearl has traveled to other cities to teach them how to organize their own LOCAL COLORS festival.  Cities include Greensboro and Kannapolis in NC, Hartford, CT.

Pearl resides in Roanoke with her retired research scientist husband CC Fu.  They have three grown daughters.  Penny, a micro-biologist with degrees from M.I.T. and Boston University, resides in Boston with her husband Adam, a computer scientist, and two young daughters, Cami and Tessa and baby Beckett Lung Devoe.  NO 2 daughter, Wendy, is an accomplished artist in New York with degrees from Rutgers University and Pratt Institute.  After witnessing the 9/11 horror, Wendy is now working for the Department of Justice, INS, to protect her country America! No. 3 daughter, Colette, holds degrees from UVA, VCU, specialized in “Minority Art and Culture” at the Minority University, Kunming Yunnan and has a Masters Degree in Photography Arts from Rochester Institute of Technology.  Colette followed that with a major exhibit at Artisan Gallery.  Colette is now pursuing an Art Therapy Degree to work with Adolescents.  Colette has won many fellowships and grants. Her dream is to return to her roots in the remote countryside of China to film and publish a book on the CHINESE MINORITIES.  

Pearl is also the founder and chairperson of sister city Lijiang, China.  Pearl freelances as writer, lecturer, performer, special events coordinator, and interpreter.  She takes pride in being the ultimate volunteer in promoting the arts and making connections for newly arrived talents.  No wonder she received the title of “Roanoke’s Ambassador of Goodwill”!

Pearl’s mission and dream is to spread goodwill to people of diverse origin, race, religion and creed.  Promote multiculturalism by sharing and learning.  Build better understanding between China and America, Yunnan and Virginia, and ALL people, making this a kinder, happier world.

She says:  ”If this “YI” minority woman from the remote mountains of China can accomplish the above, then anything is possible!  If you work at it!  Nothing is impossible!”

 

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