About

Celebrating Culture
Connecting Community

Ridgefield Multicultural Initiative (RMI) is dedicated to celebrating and preserving the rich tapestry of cultures within our community. We provide educational programs, organize events, and host an annual festival to foster cross-cultural understanding and promote inclusivity. Our team is committed to creating a welcoming space where everyone can share their heritage and connect with others. What sets us apart is our focus on empowering diverse cultural voices and building a more tolerant world.

Our mission is to celebrate culture, educate, and create intentional space for belonging in our community by organizing events and an annual festival.

Our Mission

Mission Statement

Our mission is to celebrate culture, educate, and create intentional space for belonging in our community by organizing events and an annual festival.

Vision Statement

We envision a Ridgefield where everyone is welcomed and celebrated. There is a thriving culture of belonging, inclusivity, and cross-cultural understanding. People from all backgrounds feel supported and free to express their cultural identity.

Meet the Team

In 2017, our President, Megan Dudley, took an idea to the City of Ridgefield for an annual festival that would celebrate culture. City leadership, especially Lee Knottnerus and Jessica Kipp, embraced the idea and nurtured it, and the annual Ridgefield Multicultural Festival was born in 2018. It was important to Dr. Dudley to do this work as her own family's culture had been suppressed during World War II, and in the years following. She wanted to have a space where everyone could celebrate their culture without fear of retaliation or ostracization

President

Megan Dudley

I am Yonsei (4th gen Japanese-American), born in Massachusetts and raised in the suburbs of the Motor City. My paternal roots go back to County Cork in Ireland. I am a pediatrician and acupuncturist by trade and a community organizer at heart. I love our little town and am motivated by working with an awesome team of folks on events that help everyone to feel welcome and included in public life.

Treasurer

Rose Picchioni

Born and raised in Ridgefield, I’ve worked in both the private and nonprofit communities for over 20 years. My work has included managing grants, projects, operations, and budgets, as well as helping to start up two nonprofit organizations.

I’m inspired by people doing good work, and I’m passionate about the magic that happens when you bring people of all cultures, ethnic backgrounds, identities, and abilities together to learn, work, share, and celebrate. I believe it’s key to making positive change and building an inclusive community where we all can thrive.

Give me some dirt and a handful of seeds, and you’ve made my day! Toss in a little sunshine and a day at the beach with my dogs and my seven grandkids, now we’re talking my happy place!

Secretary

Kafiat Beckley

Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, I am a proud first-generation daughter of Nigerian and Palauan immigrants. Eight years ago, I moved to Ridgefield with my husband and it has been a joy to watch my daughters grow up in this close-knit community.

Preserving history and culture is deeply important to me and my family. I find joy in gardening, spending time with loved ones, and being outdoors—activities that keep me grounded and connected to the world around me.

I care deeply about fostering a safe, welcoming environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. Volunteering gives me the opportunity to give back, support the well-being of our community, and help strengthen the connections that make Ridgefield such a special place to call home.

Member at Large

Magdalena Butler

Hola, I am Magdalena Butler, but you may know me as Maggie. I am a first generation Mexican American. My family and I have been residents of Ridgefield since 2017. I have three children in the school district who keep me busy with sports and activities. We enjoy attending shows, concerts, events, and traveling to Seattle to support the OL Reign, Sounders, Mariners, and Seahawks.

I enjoy living a life of service to others. I volunteer for the Ridgefield Green Bag Project, Meals on Wheels Friendly Chats Program, as a soccer coach for my kids, and with the Ridgefield Multicultural Initiative.

I feel rooted when I work with the Spanish speaking community because the conversations bring me back to the days when I would interpret for my parents as a young child.

I am currently working for a local school district as a Mental Health Counselor. In my free time, I like to connect with friends over food or wine, read self-help books, and go on walks.