MARIACHI MUSIC showcased diversity in art at Sunday’s “CommUNITY Pop Up Picnic in Huntington Beach’s Central Park (Orange County Tribune photos by Jim Tortolano).

Several hundred people gathered in Huntington Beach’s Central Park on Sunday for a “CommUNITY Pop Up Picnic” to celebrate diversity in the community and to condemn bigotry and prejudice.

The event – held partially in response to incidents of hate incidents, hate crimes and the impression that “Surf City” had become a haven for white supremacists – came after a “White Lives Matter” rally was held at the city pier a week ago.

COUNCILMEMBER Natalie Moser said that it was time to “exhale.”

This Sunday’s event includes comments from Mayor Kim Carr and four other members of the city council, other officials and community leaders, as well as a variety of musical entertainment intended to honor diversity.

The primary speaker was Councilmember Natalie Moser. A yoga instructor by profession, she invited people take a deep breath, hold it and breathe out, twice.

“We held our breath for a year,” she said, referring to the coronavirus epidemic. “We held it last week, when we didn’t know what was going to happen at the pier. And at this moment, I think it’s our opportunity to exhale, to let go of all the stuff from this last year, much of which is still with us.

“But that’s OK. As we release all of this stuff, we also take with us the things that have brought us together. The opportunities to come together as one HB, as a community,” she said.

A report on the event will be presented at Monday’s meeting of the city council.