Did you know Asheville has six sister cities? On Saturday, May 8, you have the chance to learn about all the sister cities and the nonprofit that maintains these relationships while celebrating Mexico with food, drinks, live music, folk dancing demonstrations, and a raffle. Ocho de Mayo: A Celebration of Mexico takes place at the Sister Cities’ office at 33 Page Avenue downtown (perpendicular from the intersection at which the Grove Arcade and Battery Park Building meet). All proceeds go directly to scholarship fund for our two Mexican sister cities, Valladolid and San Cristóbal. Asheville Sister Cities, Inc., an independent 501(c)3 established in 1988, promotes relationships with our city’s sisters in France, Russia, Nigeria, Greece, and Mexico. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP by Tuesday, May 5 to info@ashevillesistercities.org to get on the list for Saturday, and then bring $10 cash for the door, plus some extra money for raffle tickets ($10 each or 3 for $25). Fiesta attire is encouraged, but not required. Board member Jeremy Carter offered some additional details on the Ocho de Mayo event, the scholarship fund, and Asheville Sister Cities.   What is the scholarship fund? This fund awards project-specific scholarships through agreements with local colleges, universities, and school districts. For example, four teachers from Jones Elementary have received scholarships to help them travel with our delegation to Valladolid, Mexico in June. They’ll be working to strengthen current initiatives with an elementary school there, such as a pen-pal program between students, and they’ll be exploring opportunities for new projects. How has your involvement with Sister Cities benefitted you? How can someone get involved with Sister Cities? Relationships between sister cities often begin because of shared characteristics, such as population, demographics, industries, etc. Being a part of ASCI has allowed me to learn about the similarities between Asheville and our sister cities in Mexico, Africa, Greece, Russia, and France, and it’s made me more aware of world events and how they impact us all. I also had the opportunity to visit our sister city of Valladolid during a trip to Mexico in 2013, and having the Sister Cities connection allowed me an insight into the city I wouldn’t have otherwise had. I met some wonderful people and visited some amazing places, and I’m hoping to work a project there into my graduate studies at some point.  If someone wants to get involved, coming to the Ocho de Mayo event will be a fun introduction, regardless of which sister city they may be interested in. They’re also welcome to visit any of our committee meetings or attend other events, which are listed online and on our Facebook page. If anyone has questions about the organization or wants to RSVP for the event, they can email info@ashevillesistercities.org.   Asheville Sister Cities focuses on people-to-people relationships. Do you have an example? Our committees make regular trips to our sister cities, and we often welcome delegations from our sister cities to Asheville. The most recent “inbound delegation” was last fall, when a group from Valladolid came to Asheville. The delegation included several city officials, including Mayor Roger Alcocer, who signed a Sister Cities reaffirmation with Mayor Esther Manheimer. These kinds of visits and the regular contact our committees and members keep with people in our sister cities have led not only to strong friendships, but to significant, impactful collaborations as well. For example, our Osogbo committee has worked with other Sister Cities organizations to construct 29 wells in Osogbo and to bring a medical clinic there up to World Health Organization standards. Our San Cristóbal de las Casas committee has delivered medical supplies to midwives in that city, and our Valladolid committee is collecting school supplies to deliver during the June delegation.   Is there anything about the fundraiser or organization you’d like people to know? Asheville Sister Cities needs people from all walks of life and with all types of talents to accomplish its goals. While the social aspect of the organization is important, it’s very much about rolling up your sleeves and making a difference in Asheville and our sister cities – and having fun while doing so.