Cultural Rhythms To Honor Smith

The Fresh Prince will soon be holding court in Cambridge.

Actor, musician and producer Will Smith will be honored as Cultural Artist of the Year at the annual Cultural Rhythms show this Saturday.

The Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations, which sponsors the cultural celebration, chose Smith for his humanitarian efforts, according to Harvard Foundation Director S. Allen Counter. Counter called Smith's work with The Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation "extraordinary."

Two-time Grammy winner Smith began his career as half of the rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, and is also known for his title role in the now-defunct NBC sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

He has also acted in a number of films, beginning with "Six Degrees of Separation" and most recently, "Enemy of the State."

Halle Berry was last year's Harvard Foundation honoree. Other previous honorees include Andy Garcia, Graham Greene and Denzel Washington.

Cultural Rhythms' student performances, as well as the awards ceremony honoring Smith, will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday in Sanders Theatre.

The food festival portion of the celebration, along with more student performances, will continue from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Science Center.

"I credit the many fine students who are working on this project for not only their selection but also for putting together such a great program," Counter said.

Tickets are $5 or $1 for children, and a Harvard ID is required for purchase. BosTix and Sanders Theatre Box Office are selling the tickets.

Among the student groups participating are Hillel, the Persian Society and the Kuumba Singers, according to Counter.

Dancin' to the Beat?

One group that wants to perform in Cultural Rhythms will not be doing so, unless a meeting between foundation officials and members of the Harvard Radcliffe Asian American Christian Fellowship (HRAACF) scheduled for this morning changes things.

Last Thursday, HRAACF members asserted that the foundation had rejected their performance of "body worship"--hand motions set to religiousmusic--because of religious content.

In a letter to the foundation protesting thedecision, HRAACF executive team members Abigail L.Hing '99 and Jeffrey R. Gu '99 said "body worship"is "one example of the ethnic contributions AsianAmericans bring to the Western tradition."

Yesterday, in a Crimson interview, Counter saidthe foundation would like to include many morestudent groups in Cultural Rhythms, but time was"limited."

"We have, I think, 12 Asian-American studentgroups participating in Cultural Rhythms," Countersaid.

He said the show also includes seven Latinogroups, five African-American groups, fourEuropean and European-American groups and a groupof Native American students

In a letter to the foundation protesting thedecision, HRAACF executive team members Abigail L.Hing '99 and Jeffrey R. Gu '99 said "body worship"is "one example of the ethnic contributions AsianAmericans bring to the Western tradition."

Yesterday, in a Crimson interview, Counter saidthe foundation would like to include many morestudent groups in Cultural Rhythms, but time was"limited."

"We have, I think, 12 Asian-American studentgroups participating in Cultural Rhythms," Countersaid.

He said the show also includes seven Latinogroups, five African-American groups, fourEuropean and European-American groups and a groupof Native American students