“Coming Together: Understanding Racism, Working for Justice, Building Connections” is a local project seeking to bring people together to gain a deeper understanding of how race affects the Amherst area and our nation, make connections with each other, and lay the groundwork to create a more equitable, interconnected, and inclusive community.
We invite you to join us for the first two events sponsored by the Coming Together project.
A showing of Ken Burns’ film, “The Central Park Five” on Thursday, October 9th at The Jones Library – Woodbury Room - at 7PM. “The Central Park Five” is a moving film from award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, that tells the story of the five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem who were convicted and sent to prison for the assault and rape of a white woman, that they did not commit. After years in prison they were eventually freed and just recently won a settlement from NYC. It’s a riveting tale of innocent young men scapegoated for a heinous crime, and serves as a mirror for our times.
A talk by Barbara Love, “Love, Care and Racism: Coming Together in Amherst”, at the Unitarian Church - social hall next to Bart’s, Monday, October 20th, at 7PM. Barbara Love is a dynamic, inspiring speaker who speaks all over the world on issues of racial justice. She is looking forward to addressing her local community here in the Amherst area where she lives. She was a long-time professor in the Social Justice Program at UMass. Dr. Love is deeply committed to including people of all racial backgrounds in striving together to have the community and the world we dream of.
Both events are designed to bring local people together to get to know each other, face the realities of contemporary racism, and create a healthier, more connected community. Both are free and open to the public.
For more information, please visit what the local newspaper called our “sharp new website”: www.coming-together.org. We think there is something there for almost everyone.
We invite you to join in our efforts in whatever way most interests you. You can e-mail us at ctamherst@gmail.com. We hope to see on October 9th and/or October 30th.
Sincerely,
Mari Castañeda
Sovann-Malis Loeung
Russ Vernon-Jones
Co-Facilitators for the Coming Together Project
(not a school or PGO-sponsored event)
